Descension into Darkness
by LadyDae
Summary: Ahsoka has fallen in love with Anakin.Finding out he's with Senator Amidala sparks anger and hatred. Darth Sidious senses this and decides to use Ahsoka to turn Anakin to the dark side. A story chronicling Ahsoka's fall to the dark side. Spans RotS.
1. Chapter 1

Okay. I don't traditionally write fanfiction. I read it, but I don't typically write it, only because I've never gotten so into something that I think I can do justice to the characters and their personalities. However, this idea came to me while I was looking on the internet for a fic where Ahsoka turned to the dark side of the force, but not because Anakin did and thus, this fic was born… conceived really. I hope you enjoy it. I write novels myself so I don't know how much time I'll be dedicating or spending on this, not to mention school drains my creative genius (ugh!). I do intend to finish it though, whether it takes me two weeks or two years (hopefully not that long.

This fic takes place after the Battle of Coruscant I guess and Ahsoka is sixteen. I hope this is believable but please bear with me. I don't really keep up with the clone wars series much, but I do think Ahsoka is a nice character with a lot of potential. So in case the characters seem a little OOC, that's why and I think I did okay compared to some others.

Oh and typical of my writing style, the chapters start off short, but progressively get longer as I get into the story. Oh yeah! I haven't had this betad yet so there might be a few typos. This spans through RoS, but I may do I sequel later.

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Chapter 1

Ahsoka was impatient. It had been months since she had last seen her master. The last time she saw him, he was headed to the outer rim and the council had deemed her mature enough to handle a solo mission. She still kept in touch but not being about to talk to him face to face was agonizing. Not being able to see his face, his smile, the way he frowned and rolled his eyes when he had lost patience…

The young padawan shook her head as she snuck out the temple and got to her speeder. She was sure her master was at the senate building. Everyone had heard about the great battle raging above Coruscant and as soon as Ahsoka heard, she wanted to race up there and help her master, protect him if she had too. Ahsoka sighed and tried to release her feeling into the force. It was wrong for her to feel that way. She was jedi or training to be one anyway. Attachments and love was forbidden. It was no use though. She had been combating these feeling for the last year and quite honestly, she didn't know what to do with herself. She carefully guarded her feelings of course when her master was around, but that didn't make them go way.

Ahsoka loved her master. She always had, but not like she did now. She was in love. She wanted him, desired him, every aspect of him. She blushed at the thoughts and them became angry. She hated her master for making her fall in love with him without even trying, knowing that there was a chance that he might never love her back… However, there was that small chance that maybe, just maybe one day he'd return her feelings. And so she clung to that hope and released her anger into the force. Anger was a natural reaction to things, but holding on to it and letting it dominate her thinking led to the dark side.

She parked her speeder and ran to the senate building. Carefully she cloaked her presence in the force. She wanted to surprise her master. She stood a far ways off in the shadows and watched her master jump off the transport and exchange a few words with Master Obi-Wan.

She wasn't concerned about that though. All that mattered was that he was back, handsome as ever and unfortunately her feelings for him hadn't diminished like she had hoped a long separation would. In fact, her feelings for her master had intensified.

Ahsoka was barely aware of what he was saying to Senator Organa. When he looked back and stopped, saying to the senator, "Excuse me." She thought he had somehow sensed her and smiled in anticipation, until she noticed another person standing behind a pillar waiting.

Her master ran to the woman and embraced her. He spun the woman around and kissed her. Ahsoka narrowed her eyes, and silently pleaded with the force that this wasn't what she thought it was.

"Oh Ani," she gasped and Ahsoka realized it was Senator Amidala.

"Padmé," he whispered into her hair, breathing in her scent.

"It's been so long. If the Chancellor hadn't been kidnapped I don't think they would have ever brought us back from the outer rim," Anakin added.

Ahsoka glared and used the force to enhance her hearing.

"There were whispers that you had been killed," Padmé obviously shaken by just the mere suggestion.

"It's alright," he said trying to kiss her.

Padmé pulled away. "Not here."

"Yes," Anakin said. "I don't care if the council finds out we're married.

"Don't say things like that," Padmé said sighing. They both had a duty to the republic and unfortunately it had to come before their love for each other, no matter how much they hated it.

Anakin pulled back and stared into Padme's eyes. "What's wrong? You're trembling."

Padmé looked away and then met his eyes again. "Ani, something wonderful has happened… I am pregnant."

Anakin was taken aback, obviously not expecting this. Then he smiled.

"That's wonderful."

"Ani, what are we going to do?"

Anakin shook his head. "We're not going to worry about that right now. This is great news. The happiest day of my life."

The two embraced again and Ahsoka huffed. She wanted to walk out the shadows and make herself known, to let her master see her displeasure. But disciple and thinking was bred into her. So she resisted the urge and instead quietly found her way back to her speeder and sped away.

Dozens of emotions coursed through her, most prominent sadness, hurt and betrayal, and shock. Sadness because now there would never be a chance that her master would return her feelings for them. Hurt and betrayal because not only was he breaking the code, but with the senator from Naboo no less. Her master breaking the code was one thing, but the senator should know better and think for both of them. She was senator and he a jedi. Both their careers were at stake like this. At least if he would be with her and she became pregnant, there was the chance that she could protect his career by saying it was by another man.

As she thought about it though, Ahsoka didn't know why she was shocked. The signs were subtle but obvious. Whenever the senator was in danger her master made it his sole focus to protect her even though he always made it seem like it was for the good of his mission. She had also seen the way they always stole glances at each other when they thought no one was looking. Of course, the only reason she noticed was because of the stolen glances she took at her master. She supposed it was denial and blind hope that made her turn a blind eye to it instead of trusting her instinct. She had known there was something between them all along. It still didn't take the edge off the fact that they were in a relationship and that the senator was pregnant.

Ahsoka frowned. If she didn't love Anakin so much she'd run to the council and report what she'd seen, but maybe he'd tell her and maybe it wasn't as deep a relationship as she thought. It could be just some fling. It didn't seem like something Senator Amidala would get into, but she was a politician. They could fake anything

The more Ahsoka thought about it, the more she realized she could use this to her advantage if she played her cards right… She arrived at the temple and went to her quarters where she was sure her master would come to see her later as she contemplated what she could do.

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Palpatine scowled. He had not anticipated the sudden shift in the force. Something had changed. He touched the force to see the future of the boy, his future apprentice and growled in frustration. Just a few days ago he could clearly see Anakin Skywalker's turn to the dark side. In his desperation to save his wife, he would turn and betray the jedi, not knowing that turning would seal his wife's fate. He would then become his most powerful and loyal servant to the dark side and his sith master. Now it wasn't so clear. Something had changed and he wanted to know what.

Palpatine manipulated the force to show him what it was and he saw Skywalker and Senator Amidala embracing in the senate building behind the pillar. Palpatine scowled. That woman was his greatest weakest and the sooner she was dead the better. However the angle changed and he saw someone spying on the couple as they embraced. It was Skywalker's padawan and apparently she was displeased by what she saw, betrayed even, but it had nothing to do with the code or the jedi. She was jealous… Suddenly Palpatine had a new vision, a vision of the Totruga pledging herself to him in return for the death of the senator and Skywalker's affection.

Palpatine came out of the vision and tapped his fingers. This was certainly a welcome development. Maybe he wouldn't be able to use Anakin's wife to turn him to the dark side completely. Unfortunately, he had forseen that he might never be able to let her go, but if he could turn his padawan and use his padawan to destroy the senator and turn Skywalker to the dark side… He smiled. Yes… That would work and in the end he would have the chosen one as his apprentice.

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**Author's Note: **I'm sure Ahsoka seems a bit hypocritical in this a little and it was all done intentionally. She's going to wrestle with that and her feelings throughout this story. Please Review.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for the reviews. I'm glad everyone liked it. I finally got back to sweet civilization and I can update! I was over my grandma's house for the week and when I posted the first chap we were at a bookstore so I put it up.

Okay, so not much this chapter. It's getting certain things establish particularly Ahsoka beginning to battle with her feelings about everything. It seems a little unreasonable sometimes, but it's meant to be that way. It may seem slow, but I really don't want to rush to the end. It has to progress the right way so Ahsoka's turn seems believable. And I really hope I got Padmé's characterization right. I'm sure I did near the end, but I worried about this chapter. I guess it's okay. Let me know. Hope you Enjoy. R&R.

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Chapter Two

Ahsoka waited for her master to walk through the door. She sensed he would come to see her before he ran off to spend the night with what she assumed to be his lover. She wasn't disappointed. She sensed him before she entered the room.

"Long time no see Snips," he said smiling.

Ahsoka almost melted as he called her by the now endearing nickname. They rarely used the names anymore, but this was the occasion for it.

In a momentary lapse in her discipline, she ran up and hugged her master. She wanted to memorize his scent, feel him against her. When she realized what she was doing she let go and blushed.

"Sorry," she said.

"Missed me that much?" he asked raising an eyebrow with a wide smile.

"Well it has been a while hasn't it? I mean isn't there some kind of rule on how long a master and their padawan can be separated?" Ahsoka asked and then muttered, "They have a rule on practically everything else."

Anakin could relate. There were many things about the lifestyle of the jedi that he didn't agree with, but it wasn't wise to talk about these disagreements in the temple, especially with his padawan. The council already thought he was a bad influence on her.

"While I agree with you on that, here is not the place to talk about that unfortunately. I swear Master Yoda has a knack for knowing too much and I don't mean through the force," Anakin said jokingly.

"Then let's go somewhere we can," Ahsoka said hopefully. _Come on,_ she thought. _Forget about that senator and spend some time with me. Your padawan._

"Sorry Ahsoka," he said. "I have some errands to run and I don't think the council would appreciate me taking you with me when you could be her practicing your meditation."

Ahsoka groaned, while inside she fumed. Yeah. The council wouldn't appreciate him taking her to see his wife. She sighed and fought to keep the feelings of rejection out her tone saying, "Yes master."

Anakin started to walk away and then stopped frowning. "Are you alright Ahsoka?"

Ahsoka perked herself up immediately. "Of course master. Why wouldn't I be? I'm fine."

Anakin wasn't sure what it was but something was off about Ahsoka. He'd force it out of her later. It was probably something one of the other padawans had done to her. For some reason though, he couldn't shake the feeling that it was something else… He couldn't dwell on it though. He had promised Padmé that he'd be back as soon as he checked on Ahsoka.

He left and Ahsoka sighed. Maybe some meditation wasn't such a bad idea. Hopefully it would help quell her anger.

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Anakin happily greeted his wife when he arrived at her apartment. She led him inside to sit on the couch.

"Dinner should be done soon. I'm sure you're hungry after being away for six months."

"You're right. I am hungry, but not necessarily for food," Anakin said as he started to kiss her.

Padmé wanted to let herself melt on the spot. She needed this. She hadn't had his touch for six months, but if she could go that long, she could wait a little longer. While she knew that they both had a need to be intimate with each other after so long, she also had to make sure her husband's other needs were taken care of, even if it mean waiting a little while longer.

"Anakin wait," she said pulling back with a smile. "You should relax. Rest. Have dinner. We have all night."

Anakin pulled her back. "I don't care. I want you now," he said. "Besides, you're one to talk about rest and relaxing. How long has it been since you've had a vacation Senator?"

"There will be enough time for rest when the baby comes," she said. "I'll have to take leave to take care of the baby if I'm not forced to resign anyway. I have to do all the work that I can before it comes, to end this war so that-."

Anakin cut her off by kissing her.

"Shh," he said and Padmé gave in. Forget their other needs. This one was more pressing anyway. Those were her last thoughts before her mind was clouded and fogged by passion and desire.

Later after their love making and dinner, Anakin's thoughts returned to the events of the day. Not just, the unsettling feeling he got from Palpatine today, but Ahsoka too. He still couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He shrugged the feelings away and followed his wife to bed. Maybe sleep would help him. It didn't.

_Padmé was lying on the ground and Anakin knelt next to her. They were on a fire planet. It was hot and humid making it hard to breathe. He felt for a pulse and was relieved to find one. She was just unconscious. He turned to a shadowy figure and even though it was a dream, the feelings of pain, hurt, betrayal, and above all shock and denial felt real._

"_Why would you do this?"_

"_Anakin," the person said. It was obviously a woman's voice, a voice he thought he should recognize but it was distorted by the power of the dark side. "Forget about her. She's a senator. Corrupt like all the rest. They were plotting against the republic, everything you fought for. If she really loved you, she wouldn't have done that. Don't you see? All I've done I've done for you."_

"_You've done this," he said disbelieving, "for me? You destroyed the republic, killed the jedi, tried to kill my wife, and worst of all buried Ahsoka, my padawan, alive? You're trying to destroy my life and it's all for me?"_

"_But I-."_

"_I don't want to hear it," Anakin spat._

"_You don't need them. They were holding you back. Embrace the dark side and we can rule the galaxy, together. We can rebuild the jedi if that's what you want, but not the narrow minded emotionless robots that the code wanted us to be."_

_Anakin shook his head. "This isn't the way to do it. Maybe we could have done that before, but you've just proven that maybe they were right. Maybe-."_

_An almost inhuman growl escaped her throat. "So you'll betray me again now. First with that senator and now this."_

"_What are you talking about?"_

"_I loved you Anakin," she growled. "I'm trying to give you everything and you reject it because of that whore!"_

_Anakin got over his shock and stood up. "How dare you call her that? Don't bring Padmé into this. It has nothing to do with her."_

"_It had everything to do with her. But that's fine. If I can't have you then I'll kill you and nobody will have you." The shadowy woman brought up a light saber and struck._

Anakin woke up in a cold sweat panting. His arm raised as though he were holding a light saber and about to block the woman's attack. He put his hand down and turned to check on Padmé. It had all been so real. He got out of bed and but a robe on to cover his bare chest and went to the living room.

He sat down on the arm of the couch and contemplated his dream. Who was that woman?

"Ani," Padmé said coming over to him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said.

She sighed. "How long is it going to take for us to start being honest with each other?"

He sighed. "I had a dream. It was kind of like the ones about my mother, but no one died. Well they did but…"

"Ani," Padmé said softly. "Tell me."

"There was a woman and I feel like I should know her but I can't put my fingers on it. Anyway, she hurt you Padmé. You were lying on the ground. I thought you were dead. But you weren't. Just unconscious. But there was this woman. I think she was a Sith and she was trying to make me turn to the dark side," Anakin started.

Padmé began to rub his arm, urging him to continue.

"And she had killed the jedi, killed Ahsoka, destroyed to republic, and tried to kill you," Anakin said. "But the thing is she did it all in the name of loving me. She destroyed my life because she loved me. And when I said no, she said she'd kill me."

Padmé frowned. "How could someone do that?" she asked.

"I don't know, but force Padmé. You, the baby, Ahsoka, Obi-wan… You all are the only life I have. Without any of you," Anakin said fearfully.

"Ani. It was just a dream. We don't know if it's the future or not," Padmé muttered.

"But it felt so real. I won't let this dream come true Padmé. I can't," he said as tears fell down his cheek.

Padmé pulled him to her and held him. There were no words to comfort him right now. It was all she could do.

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Ahsoka groaned muttering obscenities in her native language. To hell with meditation, to hell with sleep, and to hell with the jedi code. How dare her master abandon her to be with that Senator? She was his padawan. That was the closest bond a Jedi was supposed to have and it could have been more if he hadn't gone to be with that senator. What did Senator Amidala have that she didn't? In fact, Ahsoka had more if she thought about it. Senator Amidala wasn't even force sensitive. Ahsoka and her master could connect in a way that he never could with the senator of Naboo.

Ahsoka crossed her arms and muttered more obscenities under her breath in frustration. She should have been letting this go into the force. The force would guide her. Perhaps Anakin wasn't meant for her. She had chosen the life of a Jedi, but something was nagging at her, influencing her to do otherwise. No she hadn't chosen the life of a jedi. She didn't have a choice. A Jedi Master found her and brought her to the temple. Being a child, she had no idea everything she would be sacrificing. Ahsoka shook her head. She couldn't think things like that. If she hadn't been brought to the temple, she wouldn't have met Anakin and she could very well be suffering the same way the rest of her people were back on her home world… But still, she had been denied the choice.

Ahsoka fell into bed. Forget it all. Maybe if she went to sleep, her mind would be clearer the next morning and she could figure out what to do…

Meanwhile, Palpatine smiled. He could feel the conflicting emotions of the young Togruta. Yes. This would work out. Everything was going according to plan.

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**Author's note: **I really contemplated if I wanted that scene in the dream to happen on Mustafar because the question was, How would Padmé get there with the way I plan this story? I figured it out eventually, but you'll just have to wait and see how it all comes out. Hope you liked. Review please


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys. I was so thrilled with the reviews. So I've got some good news and bad news. The bad news is, I started school this week and I'm not sure how much time I'll have to write anymore. The good news is, I wrote chapters ahead so the only thing I have to do is find time to update.

Now as for my comments on the chapter, I contemplated bringing Barriss into this, but then that would have been another character to deal with and I think mainly dealing with Ahsoka, Anakin, Padmé, a touch of Obi-Wan, and Palpatine is enough. Besides, I found them all being on the planet at the same time too coincidental, plus, Barriss is a knight by the time Revenge of the Sith comes around. Oh yeah. One more thing. As you can see, I came up with another title, one that I thought was more fitting than the other working title. Okay that's it. Read, enjoy, and review.

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Chapter Three

Anakin slowly got out of bed and began to put his jedi robes back on. Padmé was still sleeping and he didn't want to disturb her. She had to go into the senate later and he wanted her to get all the rest she could with her being pregnant. As he grabbed his com off the desk he sighed as he thought about his dream and then the odd feeling he got from Palpatine and then Ahsoka later. Could all of them be related?

As he started to tiptoe out the room, he felt Padmé awaken. He turned around. She was frowning.

"Leaving so soon?" she asked.

"Unfortunately angel," he said. "I have to go report to the temple so no one will wonder and spend some time with Ahsoka," he added sighing.

Padmé slowly got out of bed, mindful of her swollen belly. Anakin smiled. Motherhood and pregnancy suited his angel wonderfully. She was even more beautiful now than ever.

"Your dream still bothering you," she stated hugging him.

He sighed. "I just don't know Padmé. But if it is going to come true I figure I should try and figure out what's going on and I'm going to start by spending some time with Ahsoka."

Padmé nodded in understanding. She felt no ill feelings toward the young female Togruta. She understood that Anakin saw Ahsoka as a daughter, probably more like a sister with their seven year age difference.

"Maybe… Maybe Obi-Wan can help you. Tell him about your dream."

"Then that would mean telling him about us," Anakin replied.

"Maybe it's time we let him know. Obi-Wan is our friend," Padmé replied. "He cares about us, even if he is forced to tell the council."

Anakin shook his head. Obi-Wan would never understand why he had broken the code for Padmé. He could imagine his master's reaction to him being married, to a politician no less. But, maybe if he wouldn't understand it, he would try to sympathize… He just didn't know.

"I'm not sure Padmé. Maybe," he said.

"I'll see you tonight my love?" she asked.

"Always," Anakin said and kissed her.

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Ahsoka sat alone at breakfast the next morning. Normally she was have at least sat amongst the other padawans, but she couldn't get her mind off of what she had seen between her master and Senator Amidala. She had always known they were close friends and sometimes suspected that there may be more between them, but now it wasn't a suspicion. It was fact and they were expecting a child. Ahsoka found herself wanting to throttle the senator. Maybe if she hadn't been pregnant she would have had more of a chance to break them up. But the woman had gotten herself pregnant and with her master being an honorable man, there was no way he would leave her alone with a baby even if he returned her feelings. The only way she could have a chance was if the senator and the baby were killed. It was the only way-.

She was snapped out of her dwellings by the sound of glass breaking in her hand. Ahsoka gasped. She hadn't even realized she was holding the cup. Shaak-Ti noticed in passing and went over to brush off her hand.

"Are you alright Ahsoka?" she asked.

Ahsoka nodded. "I guess I was just gripping it a little too tight."

In her head, Ahsoka was horrified. How could she have wanted another person and an innocent baby to die? It wasn't Senator Amidala's fault her master had fallen in love with her. Or maybe it was? Maybe she had seduced him and he was starting to regret and she got herself pregnant to keep him around. She had seen the way her master seemed to hesitate before telling Senator Amidala how he felt about it.

Ahsoka shook her head. She couldn't deal with any of this right now. She needed to go take out some aggression. She decided to go to the training room and do some light saber training.

Another padawan was in the room and since he seemed to want to practice also, they partnered up. Normally when Ahsoka sparred, she never fought to her full capacity. Of course the purpose of sparing was to possibly mimic the conditions of an actual fight, but common sense was to use restraint. However, Ahsoka forgot about restraint today. She needed to take out her anger and aggression on something and if it couldn't be where she really wanted it, she'd do it here. Even the other padawan noticed the extra aggression and when it was over he playfully teased her.

"Did someone make you angry recently?" he asked.

Ahsoka started. "Who told you that?"

He laughed. "I'm just joking. Really. Must be that Togrutan aggression."

Ahsoka laughed although inside she was relieved. The last thing she wanted was anyone to notice her anger. It was so obvious to her. She felt like there was a sign above her head broadcasting her mood. She laughed and started out the training room and ran into her master.

"Master," she said bowing slightly. Normally she'd spare her master the formalities but they were in the temple and the last thing she need was someone seeing and reporting her to the council for disrespecting her master.

"I thought I might find you here," Anakin said to her. "I'm sure you're tired of being cooped up in the temple. Let's go somewhere. Perhaps out to lunch and then we'll come back and practice your meditating."

"Meditating," Ahsoka groaned. "But master-."

"If I know you, and I do, you haven't been practicing much meditating lately," he said.

"Hypocrite," Ahsoka said playfully. "You don't like meditating either."

Anakin shrugged. "I may not like it, but that doesn't mean I can't try to teach you good habits."

Ahsoka laughed. "So where are we going?"

"To visit the chancellor. He requested that I visit him. I'm sure he won't mind if you come with me," he said.

Ahsoka had to contain her joy. Her previous anger went away as she happily accompanied her master to see the chancellor. She had never been in his office before.

"Your Excellency," Anakin said bowing his head and Ahsoka mimicked his actions. "You know my padawan, Ahsoka Tano."

"Ah yes," Palpatine said smiling. "Anakin has told me a lot about you. You have a promising future,"

"Thank you your Excellency," Ahsoka replied grateful for the appreciation of her talents. Sometimes it seemed like no one did.

"The Senate is grateful for your win on the invisible hand Anakin," Chancellor Palpatine said. "Unfortunately since General Grevious escaped again, I won't be able to give up my emergency powers until it is apparent there is an end to it in sight and with General Grevious still at large I'm afraid we have a long way to go."

"I'm sure the council is making it their business to find him," Anakin replied.

Palpatine nodded and then turned to Ahsoka. She felt like she wanted to hide behind her master. There was something unsettling about the chancellor and she couldn't put her finger on what it was.

"Tell me Ahsoka. Do you keep up with the political arena?" he asked her.

"No. I find it… uninteresting," Ahsoka said slowly and she could feel her master's amusement through their connection.

"Maybe for the best that you didn't get into all of that. A world full of people looking out for their own needs in the name of the needs of others, just waiting to snare good people into their traps," Palpatine said disdainfully.

"Of course you aren't like that and a few others perhaps?" Anakin asked with a smile.

Ahsoka had to keep herself from growling. Of course he was talking about Senator Amidala.

"Of course not me. I try my best to keep those corrupt senators and at bay, but there is only so much I can do," Palpatine said sighing.

Ahsoka could bet Senator Amidala was one of those that were giving him trouble.

"I'm sorry to have to cut our visit short Anakin, but I have some things to do. I'm sure we'll all be glad when this war is over," Palpatine replied starting to go over to his work load. "Oh and Ahsoka. I've enjoyed your company today. Do stop by and visit if you have the chance."

Ahsoka nodded as she and her master bid the chancellor good day.

"He seems like a nice man… for a politician," she added jokingly.

"The chancellor's a good man. He's been a friend of mine since I got to the jedi temple. Perhaps he can befriend you as well. He seems to have taken a liking to you," Anakin said pleased that the chancellor seemed to like his padawan.

"I guess," Ahsoka muttered. "Can we go somewhere to eat perhaps?" she asked hopefully. It would be the closest thing to a date she would ever get with him anyway.

"Maybe. After you practice your meditating," he said smiling.

"Only if you meditate with me," Ahsoka said grinning.

"Hey. Who's the master here?"

Ahsoka gave a sheepish smile and Anakin chuckled while putting his hand behind her to move her along. Anakin did end up meditating with his padawan though.

"Clear your mind," Anakin said, more so to himself than to Ahsoka. He couldn't get that dream out his mind. What did it mean? "Feel the force. Let it take over your mind."

"Yes master," Ahsoka said breathing slowly and deeply. Slowly, she lost all awareness and there was just the force. If anything was wrong, it would let her know. But then something broke her tranquility, a sudden burst of anger. She wondered why and then she realized that she was feeling something else, from her master. She sensed the bond he shared with Senator Amidala. There was so much love and affection there, for each other, the kind of love and affection she wanted her master to shower on her.

She quickly began trying to reign in her anger before her master sensed it, but it was too late. Anakin had already sensed the conflicting emotions.

"Are you alright Ahsoka?" he asked.

"I'm fine master," she replied.

"Are you sure? I sense conflict within you," he said.

Ahsoka sighed. Her master would only become more suspicious if she denied it and pry. It might be best if she just tell him and who knows, maybe he would confide in her about something.

"Well…" she started to trail off. Maybe she shouldn't.

"Well?" her master urged.

"Yesterday I snuck out the temple to meet you at the Senate building. I hadn't seen you in so long and I was impatient… Anyway," she said when she saw that her master wanted her to get to the point, "I saw you and I was going to greet you… until you ran up to Senator Amidala and…"

Anakin got the point. Ahsoka had seen him and Padmé. Padmé was right. He shouldn't have been so affectionate towards her in such a public area, but he was glad it was Ahsoka. She was family to him and he wanted her to be part of his and Padmé's family, especially with the baby on the way. He had wanted to tell her. He just wasn't sure how to tell her. He guessed the force had seen his dilemma and created the circumstances for him.

"I was always planning on telling you. I just wish you didn't have to find out about it this way," Anakin replied.

"Master?" she said looking at him.

He sighed. "After keeping it secret for so long, it's weird sitting here talking to you about it."

"How long exactly has this been going on?" Ahsoka said.

"We've been married for three years, since a few months before I met you," Anakin replied.

Finding out that her master and the senator of Naboo were in a relationship was one thing, but finding out that it was marriage took her anger to new heights. That was a binding contract, two people deciding to legally be committed to each other by law. There was no way she'd break them up.

"Three years," she whispered in disbelief, her heart shattering on the spot.

"Yes. We fell in love and got married after the battle on Genosis, right at the beginning of the war. We couldn't deny our love any longer. Padmé is what keeps me going through this war. It's because of her that I've done all I can to end this war," he said.

"No," Ahsoka said feeling sick with the way he spoke about Senator Amidala. "It's because you're the chosen one."

Anakin rolled his eyes. He hated everything to do with that prophecy. It put so much pressure on him and although he was very confident in his abilities, sometimes being the chosen one was just so much to live up to. They wanted him to be the perfect jedi and he wasn't. He was married and as soon as the council found out about it, they'd expel him.

Ahsoka sighed feeling the conflict in her master and despite her anger, she found herself saying, "Don't worry Skyguy. I won't tell anyone about it. Your secret is safe with me. And even if the council found out, they'd have to be very hypocritical to overlook all the good things you've done throughout the clone wars."

Anakin smiled. "Thank you Ahsoka," he said and then added. "Do you still want to go to lunch?"

Ahsoka didn't think she'd be able to eat if they did go somewhere. She felt sick with jealousy.

"Don't worry about it. I'll just go to the cafeteria," she said looking at her lap.

Anakin shrugged. "Well then if you excuse me. I have somewhere to be."

"I get it," Ahsoka said feigning playfulness although she was seething on the inside. "Your wife is waiting for you."

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**AN:** So how did you like. I enjoy writing Ahsoka's inner conflict. I enjoyed writing the next chapter even more because it's going to show a lot of interaction between Palpatine and Ahsoka. Hope you enjoyed it. See you next time.


	4. Chapter 4

Okay people. A new chapter… Yay! I was so glad people liked the interaction between Anakin and Ahsoka. I think aside from Padmé, Ahsoka is Anakin's biggest confidence, even more so than Obi-Wan because they connect and understand each other better which makes for a more interesting turn to the dark side I think. I was eager to post this chapter because Palpatine is in it and here starts his manipulation of Ahsoka. The interaction was fun to write and get established. I hope you like it. Read and Review.

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Chapter Four

"Ahsoka knows?" Padmé asked Anakin as they lay on the couch together simply enjoying each other's company.

"She saw us at senate building yesterday."

"What did she say?"

"She said she wouldn't tell anyone and that if the council did find out they would have to be hypocrites to look over all the things I've done in this war and expel me," Anakin replied sighing. He was glad his padawan though so highly of him.

"But?" Padmé asked rubbing her belly.

"But she seemed so uneasy about it. Something else is bothering her and it's like she's purposely hiding it from me."

"Perhaps she's just not used to the idea of us being married. She was raised in the temple where she was taught that attachment and love is a bad thing. Maybe you should bring her for dinner and she can see how beautiful our life and our love is and that it doesn't necessarily mean a dark path," Padmé suggested.

Anakin smiled. Padmé was the most compassionate person he knew. She was always trying to help him even if she didn't agree. It's why he loved her so much. "That's a wonderful idea angel. I'll tell her the next time I see her."

Then he added, "I spoke with the chancellor today," he said.

"Did you?"

"He says he won't lay down his emergency powers until Grevious is dead. I can see his point. He is the leader of the droid army."

Padmé pressed her lips together. She and her husband disagreed when it came to Palpatine. She too had considered Palpatine a friend at one time. She had helped to get him elected but he was obviously abusing the powers the senate had trusted him with in good faith that he'd return them when the time came, but now she wasn't so sure. After seeing how he'd acted during the war, she wondered if the former Naboo senator was only manipulating her in her grief over her planet so that he could get into office. She wouldn't dare tell Anakin this though. She hadn't even noticed it until she saw the interest Chancellor Palpatine was taking in her husband and perhaps he wanted to somehow manipulate him, to have control over the jedi perhaps?

"I can't wait until this war is over," she said instead diverting the topic. "The sooner the better and then we can live our lives the way we want to, together."

Anakin agreed and put his prosthetic hand on Padmé's swollen abdomen as they sat and simply enjoyed their love for one another.

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Anakin walked briskly to the council chambers. It was just his luck for them to call him when he planned on asking Ahsoka to join him and Padmé for dinner next week. He didn't want to force her into accepting his marriage, so he'd give her some time to get accustomed to the idea. Unfortunately before he could go to her, the council had requested his presence and though he was sure they had called him for good reason whatever it was, he wanted to get it done with as quickly as possible.

The door open as soon as he got there and he stood in the middle of the jedi masters. Anakin bowed to the masters and smiled at Obi-Wan.

"Knight Skywalker," Master Windu acknowledged speaking for the other masters.

"You summoned me?"

"Yes. The Chancellor requests that we appoint someone act as a liaison between the chancellor and the jedi. He suggested that we appoint you," Master Windu said,

Anakin nodded. He would be happy to fill that position and quite possibly build the trust of the council for the jedi. They didn't trust the chancellor or himself for that matter and perhaps he could use this opportunity to change that. It would also give him more time to spend with the Chancellor since other than Padmé and Ahsoka, he was his only confidence.

"Of course masters," he said not seeing the need to protest anything and if there was anything to protest, he couldn't think of them because he was trying to get to Ahsoka.

"Suggested also that your padawan accompany, the chancellor did," Yoda added. "Thinks a youth need be knowledgeable of war, the chancellor does."

Anakin suddenly felt unsettled again like he did on the invisible hand when the chancellor ordered him to kill Count Dooku and when he greeted Ahsoka two days prior. It was as though the force were trying to tell him something, but because the force was so clouded, he couldn't put his hand on it.

"Yes master," he said.

"Tell Padawan Tano of her new duties, you will. Dismissed, you are," Yoda said.

Anakin bowed and took his leave. Not in any rush this time, he took his time finding Ahsoka. He found her at the fountains with Barris. The latter girl was a jedi knight now, and they rarely saw each other anymore, but Anakin was glad Ahsoka could at least talk to someone even if they weren't that close. They were laughing about something.

"Ahsoka," he said.

Both of them jumped and Ahsoka found herself blushing.

"Now what are you two talking about?" Anakin asked crossing his arms.

"Nothing," both girls said in a hurry smiling.

"Makes me wonder?" Anakin said wondering what two teenage female jedi would talk about. "Ahsoka. If you could excuse yourself. We need to talk."

Ahsoka didn't like the tone her master had. It was serious. He meant business.

"I'll talk to you later Barris," she said standing at her master's side. When her friend was gone, she sighed and rolled her eyes. "What did I do now?"

"What gave you that idea?" Anakin asked frowning.

"I know that tone. It means you're displeased about something," Ahsoka muttered.

"Of course not. I just do that to get you all anxious. It's amusing," Anakin said nudging her.

"Master," she somewhat whined although inside she was beaming. Anakin's sense of humor was another thing she loved about him. "So what is it?"

"Seems like we'll be spending a lot more time together lately," he said walking the halls.

"Really?" she asked a little too eagerly. She caught herself and cleared her throat say a little less enthusiastically, "I mean, really? It's about time. I didn't think they would keep and master and padawan separated for too long. What's our mission this time?"

"I'm to act as a liaison between the chancellor and the jedi council. Palpatine was more youth to get involved with and knowledgeable of the dealings of the war. So I guess you'll be junior liaison or something."

Ahsoka huffed. "More involved and knowledgeable. How much more involved and knowledgeable of the war can you be when you're fighting in it? Besides, I'm sixteen. I'm far from being a youth. They should get one of the younger padawans or a youngling," she added scornfully.

"Well compared to Master Yoda you're very young. But I agree. You're not a youth. You're a blossoming young woman on her way to leading a great career with the jedi," Anakin said truthfully.

Even though Anakin said it in an innocent older sibling to younger sibling way, Ahsoka was sure it meant he was noticing that she was maturing into an adult, an adult who could handle a serious relationship if she wanted to and she really wanted to. She could imagine she and Anakin together, married, raising a family. There was nothing really stopping them except the code and…

"That's not the only way we'll be spending time together," Anakin began and stopped walking to turn to her.

Ahsoka almost sighed. This was the beginning of one of her fantasies. Only she knew it wouldn't end the way she wanted it too. Her hunch was confirmed as soon as he began to talk. It wasn't a fantasy. It was much worse.

"I told Padmé that you know our secret," he said in hushed tones. "And I also told her that you seemed uneasy about it."

Ahsoka had to restrain herself. Uneasy? Try the word outraged, she thought.

"Anyway, we both agreed that you needed to get used to the idea of us being married. So Padmé suggested that you come and have dinner with us. You know, spend more time with us. We know it's against everything you've been taught, but we really would like you to be part of our family. Perhaps you could be some help to Padmé. She won't admit it, but the senate is tiring and even though Threepio does what he can to help, I'm sure she wouldn't mind having someone to talk to," Anakin replied.

Ahsoka drew deeply into the force. It was all she could do to real in her anger.

"I'd like that master," she said. She would definitely like to become part of his family, but without the senator and that sithspawn child.

Anakin grinned. "That's great. I'll tell Padmé right away. She'll want to start prepping immediately. How does next week sound?"

"Good master," she said nodding her head sending waves of reassurance and excitement to her master, if only to please him.

"That's great. I'll meet you in the morning to go to the Chancellors office. We'll spend the day there. There's a lot you can learn from being around him," he said and ran down the hall, no doubt to tell Padmé.

Ahsoka whirled on her heel and held in a growl. She had been trying to figure out a way to perhaps convince her master that he and the Senator wouldn't work out, but it was proving hard to find a weakness. He adored her. Every time he spoke of the Naboo Senator his eyes lit up with unspeakable joy, the same joy Ahsoka wanted him to have when he spoke of her.

She hummed to herself as she started to go to the cafeteria for lunch. Not only would she be spending more time with Anakin this week, but she was bound to find some weakness in his and Senator Amidala's relationship. All she needed was one thing they didn't quite see eye to eye on and perhaps she could exploit it.

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The next day Ahsoka met Anaki in front of the temple and they both went to Palpatine's office. Palpatine was shaking his head looking over some papers. He looked up and greeted them.

Ahsoka bowed to the man along with her master. She wasn't really interested in anything the Palpatine had to do or the politics involved for that matter. If it weren't for Anakin, she might not be here at all.

"What's going on in the senate today?"

"There are a group of senators demanding I lay down my emergency powers. I believe their intentions are in the right place. They want to see this war over as much as I do and I'm doing all I can to end it. But it will never be over until General Grievous is captured."

"Will it really end with that?" Ahsoka asked suddenly and then winced realizing she had spoken too quickly.

Anakin and Palpatine regarded him.

"What do you mean?" Palpatine asked.

Ahsoka faltered slightly under the man's gaze. She had never voiced her opinions about the war. She wasn't really supposed to. She was just supposed to fight in it, but that didn't mean she hadn't formed some kind of opinion. She couldn't help doing so with all the ideas and speculation going on about it.

"Well, I agree that with General Grievious being the leader of the droid army the droids won't haven't any orders and will be like bantha without a herder, but the council speculates that perhaps…" Ahsoka looked at her master. Was she saying too much?

Anakin nodded sending waves of trust and faith in the chancellor. Ahsoka went on.

"The council believes that the sith are instigating the war and funding the separatist. Who's to say the the sith won't keep this war going after Grievous is dead?"

Palpatine smiled at Anakin. "You have a very intuitive padawan, Anakin. You should be proud," he then turned his attention to Ahsoka. "The sith is the business of the jedi, Ahsoka. May I call you Ahsoka?"

Ahsoka nodded.

"The sith is the business of the jedi. The republic won't fight a war that isn't theirs to fight. It will only make this war longer," Palpatine said.

"But if it's the sith working with the separatists and the jedi working with the republic doesn't this mean the republic is fighting the sith?"

"A good observation Ahsoka," Anakin said proudly. "But I have full faith in the chancellor as should the republic and you. Chancellor Palpatine is right. Once we find General Grievous, this war is over and peace will be restored and the jedi will take care to find the sith."

"I glad someone has faith in me," Palpatine said, "And from one of the best jedi the order has ever had."

"Thank you, Your Excellency," Anakin said.

"Anakin, I apologize for asking this of you, but I let my assistant have the day off. Would you mind taking this datapad upstairs to Senator Organa's secretary. I don't think he's in but I'd hope she can get this to him," Palpatine took a datapad off his desk and help it out to Anakin

"No problem sir," Anakin said taking it and rushing out the office.

Palpatine laughed. "Always rushing into things head on. I didn't even get a chance to tell him exactly where the Senator's office is. Oh well," he said laughing and going to stand in the window. "I'm sure with those jedi senses he'll find it."

Ahsoka felt little. She had no clue what to say. The question was just something she had thought about in her spare time. There were always rumors about the sith going around the temple. Now she felt awkward. Even though she was always looking for an excuse to leave the temple because she didn't really fit in, she'd rather be there right now. At least was home.

She looked at the desk and the paper the chancellor was reading caught her eyes.

"The delegation of 2000," Ahsoka said aloud as she looked closer. Palpatine heard her.

"Oh dear. I didn't mean for you to see that," he said starting to grab it.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Some senators have come together and put together a petition to get me out of office," he explained.

"The one you were just talking about?"

"Yes. I'm afraid it's not as innocent and well intentioned as I said," Palpatine said leaving it on the desk and sitting down. Ahsoka took this as a sign that she could look at it.

"Well why did you say it was?"

"The senate is corrupt dear. And while I wouldn't dare disband it to reform it as delicate as the situation is which would give ammunition to the separatists, I'm afraid I have to be wary. I fear that these senators are trying make me resign so they can put their own man in place and quite possibly drag out this war out longer than it needs to be."

"Why would they do that?" Ahsoka asked curiously. It was one thing to fight in the war but talking about its was different.

"This seat comes with a lot of power Ahsoka. The power to rule the galaxy from this seat. People are manipulative and they'd use this seat to make their lives better and subsequently make the galaxy worse. It's why I won't give up my emergency powers. I'm afraid that my successor would only make the situation worse," Palpatine explained. "By giving power back to the senate we're left with a bunch of people fighting over what must be done instead of coming to a compromise and doing something about it."

"Is that how it works? In that case, it seems like war gets the job done," Ahsoka said. "My master calls it aggressive negotiations."

"Yes. Sometimes there must be war to establish peace my dear."

Ahsoka nodded. "It still doesn't explain why you didn't want to say what you thought the delegation was about while my master was in the room."

"Because, I'm sure you know Anakin share a close friendship with Senator Amidala," Palpatine started.

Ahsoka bit back a bitter laugh. They shared more than just friendship…

The chancellor shook his head regretfully. "I'm afraid she signed this delegation as well. It's right at the top with Senator Organa and Senator Mothma. She inspires the people, but I'm afraid it's rebellion that she's inspiring. Her signature on this petition proves it."

Ahsoka stared intently at the signature at the top of the list. Just Senator Amidala's signature invoked anger in her, especially since Ahsoka was sure she was hiding this from Anakin because he would no doubt protest… The gears began turning in her head. This was perfect.

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AN: I tell you. I've never been so glad that I like to write in my life. The first day of class came and the professor give us an essay. An ESSAY! ON THE FIRST DAY! I know the summer semester is short but good God, it couldn't have waited until Monday. I put off starting it until early this morning and now, I'm about done with… Now to tackle the Spanish homework. At least she didn't assign an essay or expect us to know how to keep up in a conversation on the first day.

Anyway, the next chapter shows some interaction between Padmé and Ahsoka and though I'm sure you want to see a cat fight between them, I came up with something a little more interesting… You'll see. Remember, reviews motivate me to update faster. Otherwise, I'll just wait four days to post again… I know. I'm horrible. Hope you enjoyed. Review please!


	5. Chapter 5

Okay. I'm glad you all liked the last one, but before we get started I have a few things to mention. I put a little Q&A for the chapter in my profile for the story. So if you have questions see if I've posted them there. If not, leave your questions in the reviews or pm me. Either way is fine. Whatever is easier for you. Next, I made a trailer of the story. It's a little out of sequence and some things are taken out, but it's got the stuff that I thought would catch your attention.

Last thing, I need a beta reader, preferably someone who not only knows a thing or two about grammar (that doesn't really matter. I'm an English-major. It's just sometimes I'm a little too close to my work), but also is a star wars scholar practically. Since it is AU, there are some things I will disregard, but I would like to know so I can state it if I break it. Take for instance this chapter. I have no idea if it ever rains on Coruscant, but for the sake of my story, it does.

Now, as for this chapter, there isn't any Palpatine manipulation. That comes back in the next chapter. This story kind of establishes the complex relationship that Padmé and Ahsoka will have. Read, enjoy, and review.

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Chapter Five

It had been a week since Ahsoka had started going with her master to see the chancellor. It was a busier mission than she thought it would be with having to report to the council every few days. She learned more about the war than she thought she would. Palpatine also confided in her about a piece intelligence he had kept to himself, since there was nothing he could do about it until Grievous was dead. The separatist were hiding on Mustafar. Ahsoka had never heard of the planet but upon some research in the archives, where she found out it was a fiery planet near the outer rim and inhabitable. It was the perfect hiding place.

Her master had been right though. Palpatine was a good man and very easy to talk to. It seemed they were always talking about one thing or another. In fact, it appeared Palpatine spoke to her more that he spoke to Anakin anymore.

The best part about all of it was that she learned a lot more about Anakin and Padmé's relationship and a way to undermine it. From what she'd seen, Anakin had lots of faith in the chancellor and was very devoted to him, but it seemed Senator Amidala's devotion and faith was placed in the republic in general and democracy. To her, Palpatine was breaking it. Ahsoka doubted the senator was against Palpatine himself, just the way he had demolished democracy. Still, she didn't have to tell Anakin that.

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Anakin thought he was nervous about Ahsoka coming for dinner, but Padmé was a wreck. She was busy bustling around trying to get the room clean (she had only cleaned it three times already). She was checking on the dinner every two minutes as though it would burn if she didn't (not that it mattered. Padmé could hardly boil water. Threepio had done the cooking along with Anakin).

"Padmé," Anakin said grabbing her hand to stop her from wiping the side table. "It's clean."

"But Anakin. I want Ahsoka to like me and feel comfortable," Padmé said frantically.

"If anything, she'll be overwhelmed. This is a lot more than she's used to," Anakin assured it.

Padmé nodded and sat down, albeit anxiously. Anakin almost laughed. Padmé was usually always cool and calm about these types of things. That's what impressed her guest and visitors the most. But today she wasn't like that, and Anakin guessed that it had something to do with her pregnancy. She was more frantic than usual and something as simple as a piece of paper out of place irritated her.

Anakin sat next to her.

"Angel, everything will be fine. I love you and no matter what anyone thinks, even Ahsoka, it won't change that," he said kissing her.

"I know that Ani. I just want Ahsoka to be comfortable. She is your padawan and that practically makes her family," Padmé replied.

Anakin began to contemplate telling Ahsoka that they would have to postpone dinner. He loved how Padmé was always so concerned and sympathetic of others. Some people just thought she had to act that way because she was a politician, but even behind the scenes she was more concerned about others than herself.

"Am I interrupting something?" the Togrutan female asked from the entryway.

Anakin pulled away from a blushing Padmé and turned to Ahsoka.

"We didn't here you come in. How did you get in? You didn't-."

"Of course not master. Threepio let me in," Ahsoka said. "Although I must say if it weren't for Threepio I might have been forced to abuse my powers to get in. Then again, that might not have been wise."

Padmé blushed again and Anakin grinned. It only helped to increase Ahsoka's displeasure about the entire situation. Sure she was joking about it, but only because she had to. She couldn't let her master know that she would never like the senator quite yet. She just had to act long enough to brake them up

"Well don't be shy dear," Padmé said smiling. "I won't bite. Come sit down."

Ahsoka was sure Senator Amidala wouldn't bite her. Ahsoka just wasn't so sure if she wouldn't.

"So tell me how has your training been going?" Padmé asked.

Ahsoka laughed. "You should be asking my master that question. He's doing the training."

"And your master hasn't seen you in six months. So you probably know more. Tell Padmé about your missions," Anakin said and Ahsoka began to tell about all her missions in the last six months.

It pained her to have to act friendly around Padmé, but while Anakin was there it had to be done.

"And it's so sad to see all those slaves out there," Ahsoka added at the end of her mission. "I wish I could have freed them all."

Through their bond, Ahsoka could feel her master tense. Slavery was always a touchy subject with him and she wondered if he had known someone who was a slave. It might be why he never talked with her about his past. She huffed. He probably told the senator…

"It's a shame that the republic's anti- slavery laws don't extend that far into the galaxy and it's so far out that no one is willing to go out there and enforce them. I would but…" Padmé glanced at Anakin.

"It's dangerous out there. The Hutts in particular don't see titles. They see how much a person is worth and they're willing to kidnap and sell you no matter who you are. No one should go there alone or at least without an army, an army the republic isn't willing to spare," Anakin said grimly and then smiled. "Enough talk about the war and politics. Let's talk about other things in our life."

"Let's face it master," Ahsoka said following Padmé to the dining room. "The war and politics is our life. What more is there to talk about?"

Ahsoka couldn't wait to leave by the time dinner was over, not that it wasn't pleasant. But, it was hard to sit at a table across from the man she was in love with and his wife was next to him. And when they spoke of certain things, like when they spoke about they had first met Anakin and in Senator Amidala's case, how they had fallen in love, they would exchange a glance or a smile and Ahsoka was sure something unsaid had passed between them. She almost felt like the third wheel.

Unfortunately, Ahsoka didn't get the pleasure of leaving Senator Amidala's apartment. A bad storm blew in and it began to rain. It was dangerous to drive in so the senator had offered to let her stay there.

"It's fine really," Padmé said leading Ahsoka to the guest room while Threepio went to get some fresh sheets and pillows. "There's a small adjoining fresher if you need it."

"Thank you," Ahsoka said looking around the room. She didn't feeling comfortable sleeping in this room knowing that next door her master would be sleeping with his wife. She wanted to be in her place.

Padmé hesitated and then finally left the room. Ahsoka fell on the bed and crossed her arms. Sleep can uneasy to her that night; therefore Ahsoka was up early to get ready to head over to the chancellor's office. She sensed that her master was awake also and crept out the room to wait for him only to find he was about to leave… without her.

"Master?" she asked.

He smiled, only slightly but it made her go weak at the knees. "I was trying to leave before you awoke."

"Why is that?" she asked.

"I figure you and Padmé need more time to get acquainted. She herself doesn't need to leave until later this afternoon. You two can spend some time together," he suggested.

Perfect, Ahsoka thought. She could barely stand the thought of spending another moment with Senator Amidala.

"I'll tell the chancellor you weren't feeling well today. He won't pry. Besides, I'm sure you'd rather be here relaxing with Padmé rather than in some boring office with me and the chancellor," Anakin stated in as a matter of fact tone.

If there was ever a tossup between relaxing and spending time with the senator in her nice comfortable apartment or sitting in a boring office with Palpatine and her master, the boring office would win out any day, Ahsoka decided resisting the urge to roll her eyes. The things she did for her master…

"You're right Skyguy. You go do all the work and me and the senator will sit and talk about things that can only be spoken off between two women," Ahsoka stated dryly.

"If that's what you want to do snips," Anakin said and left the building.

Ahsoka almost screamed in frustration. Now she was stuck with the senator for the whole morning and quite possibly part of the afternoon.

"Ahsoka," Padmé said from behind and Ahsoka cursed herself for letting her senses slip. She should have sensed her. Then again she had been ignoring the senator's presence since she had been here.

"Good morning," Ahsoka replied.

"You're already awake. I guess Ani told you that you'd be staying with me for the day."

"He did," Ahsoka said ignoring the senator's attempts to be conversational.

"So do you have anything you could possibly change into Ahsoka. I was thinking we could go out to this nice shopping strip and do some sightseeing if you like."

"This is all I have," Ahsoka said going to the window. She could see the jedi temple from here.

Padmé frowned. "I guess I should have expected that. I forgot that Jedi aren't allowed possessions. The only reason Ani has anything is because I buy them and he keeps them here. Well, we'll just have to solve that problem."

Ahsoka looked at her. Apparently the woman wasn't taking the hint. "Senator-."

"It's Padmé," Padmé said smiling. "And I won't hear any protest. A jedi you may be, but that doesn't mean you can't allow someone else to indulge on you every now and then."

Ahsoka sighed. "I have a feeling I'm not going to win this argument no matter how much I protest."

"You're a quick learner. It took Ani months before he figured that out."

Despite herself, Ahsoka laughed as Padmé went to get ready.

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Ahsoka had travelled all over the galaxy and been to many cities and seen dozens of civilizations, but she had never so much as stepped foot in a boutique. It was overwhelming to say the least and Padmé apparently noticed. It was obvious that she was a regular client of the shop, for the shopkeeper immediately struck up a conversation with her. Padmé handed her a piece of paper and then swiftly ran a hand over her abdomen. The woman nodded.

Ahsoka guessed someone else had to know she was pregnant. How else did she get those heavy senatorial robes that hid it so well?

Ahsoka stopped when a white sundress caught her eyes. It wasn't extravagant, but still breathtaking. She wondered if her master would like it if he saw her in it.

"Do you like that?" Padmé asked her.

Ahsoka looked away from it. "Doesn't matter. I'd have nowhere to wear it anyway. I surely can't where it on missions."

"Well you need something to wear today. I think it would look nice on you," Padmé said looking around, "With those white sandals and that gold bracelet."

"You don't have to-." Ahsoka started, but Padmé was already talking to the shopkeeper about purchasing it and wearing it to go.

Twenty minutes later Ahsoka was wearing the dress and fidgeting a bit. The dress was pretty and she liked the way it looked, but it was so weird being out of her normal clothes. She felt like she'd stumble and trip over her feet if she tried to fight in this dress.

"You look beautiful," Padmé said. "Now come on. We'll go have something to eat. I was so eager to get you out I forgot to eat breakfast. My little boy is hungry."

"It's a boy?" Ahsoka asked.

Padmé blushed. "Actually, I'm not sure. I want it to be a surprise. Anakin insists it's a girl, but call it mother's intuition."

Ahsoka found that she enjoyed talking to Padmé. She was a great listener and she never judged or criticized, but still was able to give advice and words of encouragement. She guessed that was why she was a great politician.

"I never really had any friends before I met my master. All the other younglings and padawans used to tease me. I was always advanced in my studies and I guess, the others were jealous about it. I still don't really fit in. I guess I can relate to my master a little," Ahsoka replied.

"That's the price that comes with greatness Ahsoka. I always had a few friends outside my field and my family of course. But there's nothing like a person outside your family and close to your age that you can talk to and share things with and they can come to a level of understanding or sympathy. Eventually I got my handmaidens too, particularly Sabé and Dormé, but it wasn't until I met Anakin that I gained a truly remarkable friend. You'll find that one day," Padmé added certainly.

"The jedi don't believe in things like that," Ahsoka said rolling her eyes. "There's only the force. The council even thinks that my master and I are too attached as it is. I do have Barriss though, but even then there's only so far our friendship can go. She stays within the bounds that the council permits, plus she's a knight now."

"I think it's impossible to serve people when you have no idea what it's like to love, or feel emotion, and be attached. Otherwise how can you sympathize with the people you serve? It only drives you to work harder, to try harder," Padmé said passionately and then sighed. "Don't get me wrong. I love the jedi, but some things about their lifestyle I don't agree with. The things they frown upon are the very things that make Anakin strive to be the great jedi he can be, the best help to others he can be."

By the time midday had come and they were headed back to Padmé's apartment, Ahsoka realized she had better get to the temple or at the very least meet up with her master at the chancellor's office.

"I'm so glad I had the chance to get to know you," Padmé said as they entered her apartment. "I think you and I will be great friends."

Ahsoka stopped when Padmé said those words. Friends? She sucked in a sharp breath. She had forgotten about her anger at the woman and let herself have a good time. That wasn't what was supposed to happen. She would admit Padmé was a great person and quite possibly they could have been great friends, but not so long as she was with her master, her master's wife, the man Ahsoka was in love with. They couldn't be friends so long as Padmé had the one thing that she wanted the most, and unlike Padmé, she wasn't a politician. She wasn't going to put up a façade and put on a friendly face. She would never make that slip up again. Padmé had to know outright.

"Are you okay Ahsoka," Padmé said when she noticed the girl had stopped walking and was staring down. She reached out to touch her. "Ahsoka."

Ahsoka growled and bared her teeth at the woman, swiping dangerously close to Padmé's abdomen. Padmé jumped back, startled.

"Ahsoka," she said trying to touch her again.

Ahsoka stepped back. "Don't touch me. I'm not your friend. I'm not supposed to like you. I'm not supposed to be alright with any of this. I hate you."

"Ahsoka," Padmé began, furrowing her eyebrows. "What's wrong?"

"All of this is wrong!" she snarled. "He's my master. Mine. You're not supposed to be his wife. It was just supposed to be us. Me and my master. Me and…" Ahsoka trailed off suddenly coming out of her rage. What had come over her. "I… I'm sorry. I have to go."

Ahsoka took the bag with her clothes in it and left the apartment leaving a confused and concerned Padmé behind.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

AN: Did you like it? Do you like the beginning of the complexity of what Ahsoka's and Padmé's relationship will be like? Let me know and let me know how you like the trailer. Remember if you have questions post them and then check my profile a couple of hours later. See you next time.


	6. Chapter 6

Oh Wow! I didn't expect that many reviews in one night. Therefore, I think you should be rewarded with the next chapter. Like I said, most of this is written. It's going to be maybe fourteen chapters long and I have twelve written. I just update a little at a time, but like I said, with the right motivation I'll update faster and boy were those reviews some motivation.

Oh yeah. A quick shout out to BlackRose. I really enjoyed your review. Gave me a good laugh and I'm glad you enjoyed that scene.

I'm glad everyone like the last chapter and I'm sure a lot of you are expecting Anakin to find out everything, but then if that happened either this story would be much shorter or I'd have to figure out another way to drag it out. I'll say this, Anakin does start to piece things together a little, his feelings tell him something else is going on and he tosses around the idea of Ahsoka being in love with him a couple of times, but not seriously. I couldn't make him oblivious to it, but he doesn't get the totality of it until my Mustafar scene.

This is a critical turning point now. You'll see what happens. R&R.

Chapter Six

In the following weeks, Ahsoka found herself having the same bouts of anger and frustration. Thankfully they were usually within the confines of her room, after having dinner with her master and the senator or when Ahsoka found herself spending time with the woman. Despite her angry outburst at the woman's apartment, Padmé was still willing to try and forge a relationship with her when she had the time, which wasn't very often since she was usually busy with something to do with the senate. Ahsoka didn't really want to go, but she did, if for her master's sake. The horrible thing was that she actually enjoyed being with the senator. She would forget that the senator was her master's wife, that they were expecting a child, that they were in love… Until Anakin would return to the apartment and Padmé would run into his arms and kiss him and he would caress her belly in anticipation of the child growing inside.

If she didn't actually like the senator, it wouldn't be so bad. But she did, and she wished she could be friends with the senator. However, Ahsoka loved her master more. So the fact that she actually liked the senator, the object of her displeasure, just angered her more, as well as confused her.

She needed to talk to someone, anyone, to get this off her chest. Ahsoka sighed as she walked to the chancellor's office. He had called her because he needed her to take some information to the council. If she hadn't been so conflicted, she would have wondered why he had not summoned Anakin with her. In fact, it wasn't the first time he had done that.

"Your Excellency," she said bowing to him.

"Ah, Ahsoka. Wonderful to see you again," Palpatine said.

"As though you didn't see me yesterday," she said jokingly.

Palpatine laughed and handed her a datapad. Ahsoka was about to take off to take it to the council before Palpatine stopped her.

"Why in such a rush my dear?"

Ahsoka shifted from one foot to another. "I'm not… I…"

"Is something wrong dear?"

And with that Ahsoka spilled all her carefully guarded thoughts of the past few weeks. She couldn't talk to the jedi. They would tell her to be careful of her feelings and seek refuge in the force. She didn't need that. She had tried it. It didn't work. When she was done, Ahsoka felt like a load had been taken off her chest and Palpatine looked at her almost calculating.

"No wonder you feel so confused and I'm sure your confusion stems more so from concern for Anakin. This too concerns me, especially since the relationship with Senator Amidala and Anakin is deeper than I thought. I fear she is trying to use Anakin to plot against me."

"How could she do that? She loves Anakin. That much I know," Ahsoka said disdainfully.

"Are you sure? She's the greatest politician of her age. She may very well be manipulating Anakin into thinking she loves him so that she can plot against me. Anakin would never suspect someone so close to him betraying the republic," Palpatine said gravely.

"You think the senate is plotting against you?"

"Not all of the senate. But Senator Amidala and some of her close associates, yes. It's such a shame. I used to consider her a great friend. She helped me to get elected you know."

"Then what can we do? I don't want to see my master hurt by this. I l- care about him very much," Ahsoka said. She wouldn't admit that to Palpatine yet.

"You can start by showing him this. It may very well tear him up inside but it may save him in the end from Senator Amidala's manipulative game," Palpatine said handing her another datapad.

Ahsoka looked at it as though it would break if she touched it.

"What is this?"

"A secret meeting between Senator Amidala and a few others plotting my removal from office. My spies gathered this info for me," he said. "Don't let Anakin know that you're aware of what it is. Just say someone you didn't know gave this to you, a loyalist," Palpatine added.

Ahsoka nodded, ignoring the warnings the force was giving her, the dark subtleties in the chancellor's tone. She took it from him and put it in her pocket before sprinting off. Palpatine smiled when she left. Yes… Everything was going according to his plan.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anakin thanked the force when he finally found Ahsoka. He'd been looking for her all day. The chancellor commed him and told him his services weren't needed and so he spent some time with the younglings at the temple. They adored him and he needed to get in some practice before the baby was born anyway.

"There you are," Anakin said. "Where have you been?"

"The chancellor requested my service today."

"Again?" Anakin asked raising his eyebrows. This was the fifth time the chancellor had dismissed him and asked for his padawan. Even when they both went together, it was as though Palpatine was giving him the cold shoulder in favor of Ahsoka. It was unsettling.

"Yes."

Anakin shook his head. He'd think about that later. "Oh. Well I'm headed over to Padmé's later. Would you like to-?"

"Not today master," Ahsoka said a little too quickly before adding, "The chancellors had me so busy lately I think I'll relax in my quarters today. Thank you for the offer."

Anakin would have to sit and talk with Ahsoka later. She seemed distant lately, not herself. They were always playing and laughing together, even arguing, like siblings. But lately, their relationship seemed to be the typical master and padawan relationship, one the council would approve of. She followed his orders without question, she had even stopped calling him Skyguy. Something was wrong.

"Oh, I almost forgot. The chancellor said some man calling himself a loyalist left this at his desk today. He told him to give it to you. The chancellor doesn't know what it is and thought he'd better not look at it," Ahsoka said handing him the disk.

"Thank you," Anakin said looking at it. There was something very wrong about all of this and he intended to find out what. It had something to do with his dream. He just didn't know what.

"I'll see you later master," Ahsoka said bowing and running off.

Anakin immediately when to play the disk and the first thing he felt upon watch it was betrayal and hurt. How could…? Forget staying at the temple a little while long. He had to go confront Padmé.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Padmé sighed as she read over the papers she was reading. The war would only last longer if what her informants were saying were true. How long had Palpatine been aware that these things were going on and turned a blind eye to it? The war would have been over months ago.

The baby kicked and Padmé decided that perhaps it was time for a break. She didn't want to do that though, because that meant thinking about her personal life, particularly her relationship with Ahsoka.

Padmé just didn't understand it. No matter how nice she was to the girl, she wouldn't completely open up. She was a very nice girl and they enjoyed spending time together. But then Ahsoka would suddenly go cold or rush off as if she realized she was doing something wrong. And that didn't count that outburst that she suddenly had the first time they went out. She hadn't told Anakin about it. Padmé was concerned but thought nothing of it. Ahsoka probably expected to be the only thing important in Anakin's life. It was like a child who was used to having a parent all to himself when the parent suddenly brought home a boyfriend or girlfriend or announced a marriage engagement. Ahsoka would come around to the idea she had hoped. But now, she wasn't so sure. There was something else, a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that something was seriously wrong and that if she didn't take action it may be dangerous to her life.

When Anakin got home, she intended to talk with him about it. She heard his speeder and ran out to the veranda. She hugged him and pecked his lips. He seemed stiff.

"You're home early," she said dismissing it until he handed her something.

She stared down at it.

"What is this?" she asked.

Anakin shrugged. "I'm not sure. I was hoping you might tell me."

Padmé played it and then her face paled dramatically. It was a meeting she had had with Bail and Mon, but it wasn't anything as bad as the tape made it seem. It was taking their whole meeting out of context, making it seem like she was against the republic.

"Anakin, you don't believe this do you," she asked.

"I'm not sure what to believe right now," he snapped walking past her.

"Ani," she said following him.

"What is this about?" he said in a calm tone trying to reign in his anger.

"I," Padmé started. She wasn't supposed to be telling this to anyone. It was supposed to be between them. "I can't tell you."

"That's what I thought you'd say. You senators and you secrets. Obi-Wan is right about you all."

"Anakin you have to trust me," Padmé said going to him and holding his arms. "It's not what you think."

"How can I trust you when you're always telling me not to keep secrets, to be honest with each other? And here you are hiding something like this from me. I don't know if you're planning a coup or an emergency save the republic plan," Anakin said heatedly while glaring at his wife.

"I- You're right. I'm sorry Ani," she said hugging him tears forming in her eyes. "I wanted to tell you. But I promised I wouldn't and with you being friends with the chancellor, it was dangerous."

"Well since it's out of the bag, you can start by telling me now," Anakin replied softly.

Padmé nodded and began by telling him about the delegation of 2000 thousand and what it was really about, that the meetings with Bail and Mon were about restoring democracy to the republic, not tearing it apart.

"We're not against Palpatine my love," Padmé said. "We're against the way he's abusing his powers to keep this war alive and destroy democracy. The people don't have a voice anymore because the senate has no power. We can debate all we want and come to a decision but at the end of the day, it's all in Palpatine's hands. It's almost become like some kind of dictatorship."

Anakin didn't want to believe but the force was telling him to take heed of this. All the unsettling feelings he'd had about the chancellor lately made sense now. But there was still a piece of the puzzle missing. It didn't explain why Palpatine seemed to take a sudden interest in Ahsoka, or even why Ahsoka was acting so weird.

"Oh Ani," Padmé said fearing that his silence meant he didn't believe her. "There are all kinds of reports and information I've gathered, things that could have led us to ending this war months ago, maybe before it even started."

Anakin caressed her cheek and shook his head. "I believe you angel. It somehow all makes sense. I guess I was just too close to the chancellor that I didn't see any of this. In fact, I wouldn't have if you had told me a few weeks ago."

"Why is that?" Padmé asked a bad feeling arising in her.

"I don't know. It seems like Palpatine is more interested in Ahsoka lately than me. It's like we're not friends anymore. He's been almost giving me the cold shoulder. Anyway, now that I'm not so close, I've noticed things about him, things that have shaken my faith in him. Obi-Wan used to try to tell me this but I guess I couldn't see it until it was my own padawan I was concerned about," Anakin said. "It's almost like Palpatine is being manipulated by darkness… It makes me wonder if it was him who wanted me to see this recording."

Padmé gasped. "You don't think he's being controlled, by the sith maybe?" Padmé asked. She knew that the jedi had been looking for the sith for years and hadn't come close to finding him.

"It couldn't be. If that were the case that would mean that…" Anakin trailed off but Padmé knew.

"That the republic we're fighting to protect is the very thing we're fighting against," she said and sensed the turmoil in her husband at those words.

Anakin got up and went to the window and Padmé followed him as fast as her swollen belly would allow.

"Oh Ani," she said hugging him. "Hold me like you did on Naboo so long ago, when there was nothing but our love."

Anakin complied.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

AN: Okay. Padmé's last line was probably the corniest line in the revenge of the sith movie, but it was a tragic love story and the line kind of foretold tragedy later, like it wouldn't last. I had to add it. It was just perfect. This scene replaced the scene that particular line came from. I'll say this about the next chapter. Obi-Wan finds out about Anakin's marriage and things begin to blow up in Ahsoka's face, particularly her temper. Hope you enjoyed. Don't forget to click on that little button down there that says "Review". Until next time.


	7. Chapter 7

Okay. No comments really. I'm on break at school and I don't have the time to explain. All I have to say is enjoy and don't kill me for the ending.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter Seven

Anakin patiently waited for Obi-Wan to finish speaking with Master Windu. After talking with Padmé they had both agreed that perhaps this information was not something that just they alone could handle.

Now that he thought about it, he couldn't believe he hadn't wanted to tell Obi-Wan before. Being from under Palpatine's influence was like a breath of fresh air. Sure Obi-Wan had been raised in the jedi temple since birth, and maybe he wouldn't completely understand why he had broken the code. But Obi-Wan was his former master, friend, brother. How could he have ever thought he wouldn't be able to trust him?

"Knight Skywalker," Mace said nodding to him and walking past.

Anakin bowed to him and then Obi-Wan as he approached him.

"Anakin," he said smiling. "We've seen so little of each other lately I'd almost say we were both on separate planets."

Anakin grinned. "Well with this mission it hasn't given Ahsoka and I much time to socialize."

"How is Ahsoka?" Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin rubbed the back of his neck. "That's kind of what I want to talk to you about among other things…"

"Oh?" Obi-Wan asked stopping while crossing his arms. He was making Anakin feel like a young padawan again when he had done something wrong.

"Yes," Anakin said. "But not here. Meet me at Padmé's apartment this afternoon."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow and Anakin already knew he had a hunch what was going on. But Obi-Wan got a lot more than he bargained for. By the force! He needed a really strong drink right then. Forget the fact the alcohol dulled his force senses and impaired his judgment.

"You're married," he said surprised. Obi-Wan expected that there was something between Padmé and his former student. Anyone close to them could see it. Only a blind fool wouldn't. But he hadn't anticipated that their relationship was this deep.

"Yes. Since after Genosis. We could no longer deny our feelings for each other and decided to get married," Anakin admitted holding Padmé's hand.

"That would put it at about three years now," Obi-Wan muttered. "Anakin, you broke the code, the code of the life you chose for this."

Padmé, as if trying to comfort Obi-Wan, spoke up.

"Obi-Wan, this isn't a relationship based on some fling we had on Naboo or some lust for each other. We really do love each other. If we hadn't, I don't think either one of us would have been willing to risk our careers for this."

Obi-Wan sighed. "I know that Padmé. You and Anakin aren't like that. You wouldn't go into this without some kind of commitment." He turned to Anakin. "So you're the father of Padmé's child?"

Anakin raised his eyebrow. "You knew she was pregnant?"

"It's impossible not to. The child is like a beacon of light in the force in these dark times. I'm afraid it's possible that it will be a target of the sith when it's born," Obi-Wan said grimly.

"That's the other thing we want to talk to you about," Anakin started. "We're afraid that the chancellor might be being manipulated by the sith. Padmé has gathered very convincing evidence and I'm worried."

"About this war?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Not the war. Ahsoka," Anakin replied.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ahsoka couldn't believe it. Not only had Anakin made up with Padmé and understood why she was hiding something like this, he was losing faith in the chancellor as well. He had started to warn her to guard her feelings from the chancellor, to be wary because sinister forces were at work. Senator Amidala, that whore, she was turning her master against her and everything she stood for.

"Manipulative skank," Ahsoka snapped headed the council room where her master was waiting for her. The council wanted to see them.

She bowed to them when the door opened and stepped in the middle next to her master.

"Report you have from the chancellor yes?" Yoda asked.

"Forgive me master," Anakin says. "But it appears that my padawan has more knowledge of what the chancellor has to offer to you than I. It appears he prefers to deal with her rather than me."

Yoda looked up at Anakin and then to Ahsoka. Something about that wasn't right. For as long as he could remember, very close to the chancellor, Anakin was, despite the council's disapproval. The reason he permitted that he and his padawan become the liaison between the jedi and the chancellor, it was, in hopes that instill more trust of the council in Knight Skywalker, perhaps it would. It had, but foreseen, he had not as a result of Padawan Tano becoming closer to the chancellor it would be instead. Out of jealously, it was not, this sudden caution for the chancellor Knight Skywalker had developed. Disturbing this was.

When Ahsoka gave the report, Yoda dismissed her from the room and asked Anakin to stay. He remained passive on the outside, but inside he was curious as to what Yoda wanted.

"Conflict I sense in you," Yoda began. "Like to share, would you?"

Anakin frowned and then said, "I worry about the closeness of my padawan to the chancellor. Recently my faith in him has been shaken, and I worry of his influence on her."

"Mm," Yoda said. "Disturbing this is. Trust the chancellor, the council does not. Wanted you to spy on chancellor, we did. But in light of recent events perhaps Padawan Tano it is, who should spy."

Anakin looked up. They couldn't. "Masters please don't ask me to tell her to do that. As much as I disapprove of her closeness with the chancellor, I can't ask her to betray someone she considers a friend."

"It is for the best Knight Skywalker," Mace said. "You said it yourself. The chancellor cannot be trusted, and we must take the necessary precautions. Unless you think you can get close to Chancellor Palpatine again to do this task yourself, we must ask your padawan to do so."

"Do this, will you?" Yoda asked.

Anakin reluctantly nodded. "Yes masters."

"You are dismissed," Mace said and Anakin left the room.

Inside he was battling with himself. He didn't want to disobey the council, but something was telling him that asking Ahsoka to do this would have detrimental consequences to them. He did not approve of the relationship Ahsoka had with Palpatine, but he didn't want her to feel like she had to choose between the jedi and Palpatine.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan said trying to catch up with him.

Anakin stopped. He hadn't realized he was walking so fast until he noticed Obi-Wan was almost running to keep up with him.

"I just want you to know that I tried to convince the council not to ask you to do this," Obi-Wan said sincerely.

"I figured that. I just feel like by asking her to do this will do more harm than good. I feel like I'm losing her to something I can't control lately. I figured I'd just let it take its course. I know better than anyone the more you try to force someone in one direction, the more they'll resist. And she hasn't necessarily had an easy time with the jedi. I was glad she found someone else to talk to. But now…" Anakin trailed off and shook his head.

"I can't do that to her Obi-Wan even if I think the sith may be controlling Palpatine. Maybe… Maybe you can ask her for me."

Obi-Wan crossed his arms. "Are you sure? She might very well take it better from you."

"No," Anakin replied. "Something tells me I'd just make it worse."

"Alright Anakin. I'll tell her. You enjoy these brief moments of relaxation. I fear that since you have no use on Coruscant right now, the council may deem you ready for another mission," Obi-Wan said patting him on the back.

"I hope not," Anakin said dryly. "I would hate to miss the birth of the baby."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"They're still together. That senator is more of an influence on my master than I thought she was," Ahsoka said to Palpatine.

"I should have known. I fear that Anakin is too much under her control now Knight Tano," Palpatine said.

Ahsoka laughed at the slip of the tongue. "I am not a knight yet sir."

"Excuse me dear. It's just very hard to remember you're still a padawan when you're so talented and obviously skilled and wise beyond your years. How close are you to becoming a knight?"

Ahsoka sighed. "I am not sure. It depends on when my master deems fit for me to be ready for the trails. And even if he does agree, the council would have to approve."

"How long have you been training with Anakin dear?"

Ahsoka shrugged. "Only three years so far, give or take a few months. They probably won't even start talking about it for another three years or so."

"But you are already so far ahead of many of your peers dear," Palpatine replied. "Perhaps I can be of some help to you. I'll have my secretary put together a letter suggesting your immediate knighting or eligibility for the trails."

Ahsoka looked up at him. "You would do that?"

"Of course for a friend. We should hurry your career along. No time to waste," Palpatine said coming his secretary with the desired information.

"But what about my master?"

"I'll have you give him one as well," Palpatine said.

Ahsoka nearly skipped out of Palpatine's office that day with two datapads to give to her master and the council. Surely if the chancellor thought she was ready, her master and the council would approve. She was so excited that she wasn't enraged at the sight of Padmé at her apartment when she went for dinner, but that didn't stop her surprise at seeing Obi-Wan there too.

"Master Obi-Wan," she said politely. "Why are you here?"

"Padmé and Anakin invited me. I'm guessing that they invited you as well?"

"I'm actually here quite often," Ahsoka said keeping the displeasure she had for being here out her tone.

"Ah so Anakin wishes to make you apart of his small family as well. It appears I've been made Uncle Obi," Obi-Wan said rolling his eyes.

Ahsoka laughed and headed to the dining room where her master was helping Padmé set the table.

"Oh good. You're here," she said. "We can get started."

Ahsoka positively loathed sitting at the table with Padmé as it was, but today she was sitting next to her. She was finding it hard to resist reaching over to choke the senator. Mentally she was berating herself though. Padmé was such a nice person and had done nothing but good for her except for the fact that she was married to her master. That one action outweighed all the good she could ever do for her. She ignored the force trying to tell her that Padmé didn't marry Anakin to purposefully spite her.

"You seem in good spirits today Snips," Anakin said. Ahsoka's mood was lighter than it had been lately. "What's got you so happy?"

Ahsoka had almost forgot about the datapad Palpatine had given her. She passed one to her master.

"Palpatine told me to give you this," she said.

Anakin opened it and scanned over it frowning as soon as he saw what it was about. He put it in his lap and looked down at his plate.

"So Palpatine thinks you're ready to become a knight?" he asked his padawan.

Obi-Wan who had just been about to take a sip of wine stopped. Since when did the chancellor interfere in the affairs of the jedi when it came to the training of a padawan?

"Yes. He thinks I'm wise and talented beyond my years and requested that I take the trials so that I can be of better service to the republic," she said forgetting to keep the pride out of her tone.

Anakin shook his head. "I don't think so. It'll be at least another two years."

Ahsoka didn't know why she was angered or surprised for that matter. She had just told Palpatine the same thing in his office.

"But Palpatine thinks I'm ready. Why not?"

"If you were half as ready for the trials as Palpatine thought you were, you wouldn't have fallen so easily for his obvious flattery of you," Anakin replied calmly.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "That's so hypocritical of you. You're just mad because he isn't as confident in you anymore."

Padmé gasped dropping her fork in the process. That was a bold statement coming from Ahsoka, and she could sense that her husband was just as shocked as she was. Now she was very concerned for Ahsoka.

"That was before, but my eyes have been opened to some things lately that make me not so sure that Palpatine's intentions for giving you this are as innocent as you think," Anakin replied in a low tone. If he hadn't been so shocked and disgusted by Ahsoka's sudden change in behavior, he would have been more concerned about it than anything. Ahsoka was always jesting with him about certain things playfully. It was part of their somewhat unorthodox master and padawan relationship. But the tone of anger and malice that she had said it in told him she was really trying to cut him where she thought it might hurt.

Obi-Wan sensed the sudden tension and displeasure between the two. He would have stepped in, but this was a matter between a master and padawan. He had seen the two argue before, but not like this. Something wasn't right.

"I bet it was something your precious senator told you. You believe everything that comes out her mouth," Ahsoka snapped back. She instantly regretted saying it, not that she regretted _what_ she said. She had meant every word. But she generally tried to keep her disdain for the senator hidden from others, particularly her master.

Anakin sat up straight and glared at her with cold blue eyes. It was a look she had never been on the receiving end of because he usually saved it for his enemies.

"You mind your tongue. And if this is what the influence of the chancellor is doing to you, I'd suggest to the council to pull you off this mission. But unfortunately, you're needed there," Anakin said regretfully.

All this was just getting out of hand. This war, Palpatine, it was tearing him and Ahsoka apart. He just wished that he could take Padmé and Ahsoka and get out of here. It would be the selfish thing to do, but he didn't want to risk his family for a war that very well may be going nowhere.

"Go ahead and tell them to pull me off the mission. It's not like they need me to spy on him or something. Get another person," Ahsoka muttered just above a whisper so that everyone heard her.

The silence that gripped the room caught her attention and the feelings of guilt coming from her master and Anakin told her why.

"The council wants me to spy Palpatine," she stated more so than asked. She didn't need to ask. She felt the answer through the force.

"Yes. Obi-Wan was going to tell you. They asked me to but-."

Ahsoka cut her master off by standing from the table. "Excuse me," she said and left the dining area.

Anakin started to go after her, but Padmé stopped him.

"I'll go talk to her. I don't know much about what goes on with the jedi, but maybe I can help," she said.

Anakin nodded as Padmé went to find Ahsoka.

Anakin sighed and leaned back in his chair. He wondered if this was how Obi-Wan had felt when he gave him a hard time as a padawan. Anakin rubbed his head. He was too young to be dealing with hormonal teenagers and padawans. How could he deal with them when he was just like that not too long ago?

"Ahsoka just may be the death of me one day… my early death that is," Anakin said and next to him Obi-Wan chuckled.

"Funny. I remember saying the exact same thing about you."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I know it's a cliffy. I didn't intend it, but that was the perfect break. Please don't kill me! Anywho, things get interesting in the next chapter. Padmé and Ahsoka have a little talk and some things are laid out in the open between them.


	8. Chapter 8

Okay. I got a lot of reviews for that last chapter. This chapter pretty much seals Ahsoka's fate. I won't tell you how. I had a good time writing Padmé and Ahsoka's conversation because I really do think they could be great friends, but for the purpose of the story it couldn't be that way. Oh and read the my ending note to make sense of why Padmé does what she does, even though I pretty much say it in their conversation. Read, enjoy, and review!

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Chapter Eight

Padmé found Ahsoka about to be let out the apartment by Threepio. She should have figured the girl was about to leave.

"Ahsoka wait," Padmé said softly. The girl stopped and turned to look at her.

"Senator," Ahsoka replied coldly.

Padmé would have corrected her and told her to call her by her first name, but she had a feeling that would only make this situation worse.

"Come sit down. Let's talk," she said going to the living room. Ahsoka thankfully followed her, but instead of sitting next to her like she wanted her to, Ahsoka sat in the love seat across from Padmé.

"What?"

"Talk to me," the older woman urged. "Tell me everything that's on your mind."

Ahsoka regarded the Senator with suspicion. "Why?" she asked slowly.

"Because I'd like for us to be friends or at the very least be able to have a civil conversation, at least for Anakin's sake," said Padmé balling up some of her dress in her fist.

Ahsoka let out a sour laugh. "Well there's something we have in common. We're both trying to be nice for Anakin's sake. Why don't we both drop the game face then?"

Padmé frowned and shook her head. "That's not what I meant. That's not how I feel. If I didn't like you, want to be your friend, I wouldn't be trying to put this much effort into this relationship."

"Save it," Ahsoka said. "Save yourself the trouble. It's not going to work. As long as you're with Anakin, we'll never be friends. And the way you've got him wrapped up around your finger, you two are going to be together for a minute. He couldn't even properly get mad at you for hiding all those secret meetings from him."

Padmé frowned. Ahsoka cursed herself. She wasn't supposed to reveal that.

"Wait," Padmé said furrowing her eyebrows. "How did you know about that? Did Anakin… Hold on. You knew what was on that recording all along didn't you?"

"Guilty," Ahsoka said though she in no way felt much guilt. "You're just now figuring it out? What purpose would a loyalist have to show that to him? As far as the galaxy knows you're close friends."

"How did you get that? Did Palpatine give it to you?"

Ahsoka wasn't about to give away the fact that the old man was helping her. While she was certain Padmé wouldn't say anything about her to Anakin if she hadn't said anything so far, Padmé would tell her master about Palpatine immediately for Ahsoka's so-called sake.

"I found it in his office. Apparently one his spies had the room you were in bugged. He's been watching you. He doesn't trust you about as much as you don't trust him," Ahsoka explained. "I made a copy of it. He has no clue I have it."

"And what was it that you were trying to accomplish by giving that to Anakin?" Padmé asked carefully. She had been trying to keep her temper in check, but right now it was taking every fiber of her being to control the urge to throttle the girl.

"To try to break you up of course," Ahsoka replied honestly. There was no use hiding it. "There's no room for you in me and my master's relationship."

"Is that what this is about? About my relationship with him interfering with yours? I know you didn't think you would be seemingly competing for attention from Anaki with me, but…" The look on Ahsoka's face made Padmé stop. Ahsoka was angry and jealous, but amidst all of that, there was deep sadness and… envy. Padmé gasped. She didn't know why she hadn't seen it before. She took pride in the fact that she could read people well in general even jedi. Anakin was proof of that. But he never generally tried to hide his feeling from her. Ahsoka must have really been trying to control her feelings if Padmé hadn't seen it until now.

"You're in love with him," she stated. She didn't need to ask her. Even if Ahsoka denied it, her actions in the past few weeks said it all. It was all making sense. Her previous anger began to dissipate.

"That's none of your business."

Padmé didn't let her cold tone turn her off. She dealt with this in the senate all the time. "But you are, aren't you?"

"So what? As if you care," Ahsoka snapped not meeting Padmé's gaze. She didn't want to see the pity and sorrow in them, or the sympathy. It would take away all her reasons to hate the woman.

"I can't say I blame you in that case," Padmé replied rubbing her abdomen. "I don't know if I'd understand if I were in your shoes either."

"It's not fair! What do you have that I don't?" Ahsoka said getting up and going to the window, a sob escaping from her.

Padmé followed and touched her shoulder. "There's nothing wrong with you Ahsoka. You're a beautiful person. I'm sure that one day you'll meet someone who loves you for who you are."

"Why can't it be my master?"

Padmé couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy and disdain at that point. Someone else wanted her husband, her Ani, and didn't really care that he was married. She couldn't dwell on that though. She had to get through to Ahsoka.

"You have to understand Ahsoka, we met and formed this bond long before Anakin ever met you. Perhaps if he had known you before, you would have formed that same bond but the force didn't see fit for it to go that way."

Ahsoka knocked Padmé's hand off her shoulder. "Easy for you to say. You've got him, and he's not going anywhere unless by some miracle you do something that shatters his faith and love in you and slim chance of that happening."

Padmé didn't know what else to say. Obviously Ahsoka wasn't blind. She could see that she and Anakin really loved each other, but her emotions were impairing her other reasoning senses.

Ahsoka's com went off and she answered it. The chancellor wanted something from her. Padmé watched the girl head for the entryway to leave, but before she left completely, she turned to look at the older woman.

"Listen," the togrutan female said as though she really regretted everything and in a sense she did. "I really do think you're a nice person and that you'd make a great friend. I'll admit you've almost been like the sister I never had these past few weeks. But that doesn't change the fact that you're my master's wife and I'm just the padawan. In another lifetime, another universe maybe… But I just can't get over it. I hate you," Ahsoka finished in a whisper and left the apartment.

Padmé almost didn't think she'd heard right. But she had. Now she understood why the jedi always instructed to guard one's feeling, for if emotions gained control, they impaired judgment.

"I heard the door close. Did she leave? Is everything alright?" Anakin asked coming in the room. "What did she say?"

Padmé opened her mouth to reveal everything, but then thought better of it. This would be the second time she would criticize one of Anakin's friends to him, and it was his padawan no less. She couldn't hurt him like that. She knew he loved Ahsoka very much and she didn't want him to think he had to choose between them.

"It's just a lot of things happening at once and Ahsoka is having a hard time handling it all," Padmé lied as she stared at where Ahsoka had just been. "She just needs some time."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ahsoka had no idea how anyone could watch these crazy sappy space operas. They always ended in some kind of tragedy and drama. But apparently, this was one of the chancellor's favorite. She found his private booth and stood before him and bowed. He gestured for her to sit down.

"I probably shouldn't stay," she said.

"It's no problem dear. Relax. Have a seat."

Ahsoka sat next to him and watched the play with little interest until Palpatine spoke up.

"Intelligence reports claim that General Grievous has been found hiding out in the Utapau system," he said.

"Coward," Ahsoka growled. "That's great. Soon this war will be over."

"Very soon. I was thinking that perhaps you could take this mission. I have full faith that you could handle it," he said. "Prove your worth and readiness to be a jedi knight."

She rolled her eyes. "Tell that to my master and the council. I gave him your letter. He thinks I'm a long way from becoming a knight. There's no way they'd let me handle a mission as important as this. They don't think I'm ready," Ahsoka muttered.

"The jedi have so little faith in you?" he asked. "From my reports, your exploits in this war rival that of your master."

"Perhaps," Ahsoka said sighing. She wanted to leave before anyone knew where she had gone and the council decided she needed to report her observations.

"Why are you in such a rush?" Palpatine asked noticing her fidgeting.

"Nothing. It's just-. Nothing," Ahsoka said shaking her head.

"Leave us," Palpatine said and everyone that was in the booth cleared out. When they did, he spoke again.

"They asked you to spy on me. Didn't they?" the chancellor asked.

Ahsoka sighed. There was no use denying it. Somehow, she wasn't even surprised that he knew.

"I figured that it was only a matter of time before they asked something like this of you. I fear that the jedi may be in on the same plot to overthrow me as Senator Amidala, but I think they even plan to betray her and take over the senate," Palpatine replied.

She shook her head. "The jedi aren't that malicious. They have no interest in ruling the galaxy. They are maintainers of peace."

"Even you know that everything isn't as it seems Ahsoka. But you don't have to believe a paranoid old man like me. Make up your own mind."

Ahsoka was glad he wasn't forcing her to believe something she didn't like the council was trying to do.

"I do enjoy this space opera. I have to see it every time it comes. Have you ever seen it?" Palpatine asked.

"I'm not too big on these sappy plays to tell the truth," Ahsoka replied.

"Oh no," Palpatine said. "This is more of a play focusing around love and seduction. Many interesting twist. Far more tragic than sappy."

"Is it?" Ahsoka asked halfheartedly.

"I've always been quite fond of it. In fact when I was doing some research on it in my spare time I read that it was based on a legend that had to do with force users, the sith to be exact. Have you ever heard of a Sith Lady named Darth Salomé?"

"The jedi don't generally teach the history of the sith unless it pertains to a war or something," Ahsoka replied. "If she wasn't the cause of some great war or conflict, I doubt the council even knows."

"Darth Salomé was one of the most power sith ladies in the sith order. She was called the sith lady of seduction, because she had such attune powers of the force, that she could make men and women go insane with desire for her. She could make a person do anything she wanted, even love her if she wanted to," Palpatine explained.

His last sentence caught her attention and she looked at Palpatine intently hoping that he would continue.

"However, her greatest strength became her downfall when she tried to use it on her apprentice, Darth Plagueis. He became so obsessed with her, he killed her when he found out what she had done. Darth Salomé left diaries, but her apprentice decided that seduction was akin to diplomacy and that a person should be able to take what they want, not persuade. Legend says that she hid them on a former sith planet. It is unfortunate though. Seduction was a much more subtle but effective way of making things go your way without the mess of a war to waste time," Palpatine replied.

Ahsoka's mind reeled. If she could find out how to use the force like that one, maybe she could eventually make her master love her. She turned casually around in her seat and then trying to feigning limited interest asked her question.

"Is it possible to learn those techniques?"

"Not from a jedi. Seduction is a power of the dark side," Palpatine replied and then sighed. "It seems I've kept you longer than I anticipated. You may go if you wish. Make sure you remember to tell the council about Grievous."

Ahsoka nodded her head to him and then stood to leave. Palpatine's story kept playing in her head. She had found a way to make it possible, to get rid of that senator and have her master. It was a dark power and there was no way anyone would be teaching it to her anytime soon, but there was still hope.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anakin stood in the hanger with Obi-Wan as he got ready to take off for Utapau. After Ahsoka had fled the house, he had not seen her in a day and a half, until just this morning when she told the council about the intelligence report from the chancellor. And even then it was briefly. She wasn't talking to him. Not only that, but she was avoiding him. Anakin pushed that out his mind and settled on his disgruntlement at not going with Obi-Wan.

"You're going to need me on this one Obi-Wan," Anakin said to him.

"Oh, I agree. But this may turn out to be just a wild bantha chase," Obi-Wan replied shrugging.

Anakin laughed and then spoke something that had been on him ever since his disagreement with Ahsoka.

"Obi-Wan, I want to apologize to you," he began and continued before he could ask why. "Lately, in light of dealing with Ahsoka in particular, I've come to realize just how difficult I too was at that age with you, even up to now having defied the code and being married at all. I know I put you in a position you didn't want to be in at times. I didn't understand or even think about how it might have made you feel until now. I understand that you were just doing what you thought was best to try to protect me and grow me to the greatest jedi I could be. I'm sorry if I've failed you somehow."

Ahsoka walked in on the conversation at that moment and, disinterested in the two greeting each other good-bye, tuned them out. The atmosphere between her master and herself had been tense (if there were an atmosphere at all given the fact that she had been avoiding him) even though it had been roughly a day and a half since her angry outburst at dinner. Nothing was going the way it was supposed to. It seemed like instead of bringing her master closer, she was pushing him away and it was all the fault of that Senator Amidala. It didn't help now that the Senator knew what was going on. She would have to be more careful about her actions now, and that started with putting up grief and regret over what she had done even if in all honesty she felt none of those things. Somewhere in the back of her mind, that worried her. None of this was like her.

"May the force be with you," Anakin said.

"Good bye old friend," Obi-Wan said and then noticed Ahsoka was there. "Take care of him Ahsoka. Don't let him get into too much trouble while I'm gone."

Ahsoka laughed. "Yes Obi-Wan. May the force be with you."

"May the force be with you," the elder jedi said.

Anakin went to where Ahsoka was and regarded her as if he were about to say something. Instead, he shook his head and put his arm around her shoulders and began to walk in the opposite direction of Obi-Wan. She put her arm around his back as they did. It was probably the most intimate she would ever get with him and she may as well enjoy it for a minute.

They were silent and Ahsoka knew that if she was going to try to fix this, she had to do it now. Sure Anakin would forgive her and dismiss it, but this would make her look better. She hated to ruin the moment. She hadn't been this at peace in a while. But it had to be done.

"Skyguy," she started to break the tense silence.

"Snips," he replied.

She stopped walking and sighed dropping her arm to her side. She really didn't want to do this. She turned to face her master but looked down at her feet. It wouldn't be exactly a lie. She was regretful of what had transpired between them, but she didn't regret what she said.

"I know I've been a little difficult lately and I apologize for that. It's just… this war, and finding out you're married, and this mission being the chancellor's representative has got me a little stressed out I guess, and I haven't been handling it well. I'm turning out to be a terrible jedi."

"No you're not Ahsoka," Anakin said putting a hand on her shoulder. She met his eyes and could only detect warmth and affection in them, the closest thing to a lover's gaze she would ever get from him with the senator having hold of his heart.

"Everyone, even the jedi have slip ups now and them. We're not as perfect as the galaxy thinks we are, and we shouldn't have to live up to that expectation. Even I have my faults and do things that people wouldn't approve of, but it's being able to learn from those mistakes and take criticism that makes us better. You're just a teenager. You have years ahead of you. No one can judge you now, and you haven't had the time to mature," he said and then laughed. "You haven't heard some of the stories about Master Windu when he was a padawan."

"Really?" Ahsoka asked grinning.

"Oh yeah. I recall he used to find it quite amusing to play tricks of his own on a certain Grand Master Jedi," Anakin replied.

"Master Windu used to have a sense of humor?" Ahsoka said in disbelieve.

"I found it very hard to believe myself," Anakin replied starting to walk again.

Ahsoka snickered and walked next to him. Her lift in spirits was short-lived though. She hated that she couldn't be entirely honest with her master right now.

"There's something else, isn't there?" Anakin said detecting her sudden mood change.

"I," Ahsoka began but shook her head and changed the subject. "I still feel like I'm not becoming the jedi I want to be. I feel like no one trusts me anymore."

"The council trusts you with their lives if they needed Ahsoka. The jedi are your family… a somewhat dysfunctional one, but even if they didn't I trust you. Obi-Wan trust you and so does Padmé. Our baby will as well. I think you're beginning to expect too much of yourself. I made this mistake before, and it's not worth it. It just makes you depressed, makes you do things that are against your better judgment."

Ahsoka scoffed. "You sound like Obi-Wan now."

"I know," Anakin said rolling his eyes. "And to think I didn't believe him when he told me I'd understand why he said and did everything he did when I got a padwan of my own. Don't tell him I said that. But I'm actually speaking from experience and not some ancient jedi proverb," Anakin added darkyly and then lightened up.

Ahsoka began to wonder exactly what he meant by his last statement but decided no to ask. He'd eventually open up to her about it. She decided to go head to the chancellor's office. He had requested her presence earlier since she didn't go to him the previous day. She bid her master good day, even though she knew a good day for him was with his wife and took off.

As Ahsoka left, Anakin stared after her. He hid his frown earlier. He didn't want her to think something was wrong, but he recognized the look in her eyes. In fact, he had noticed it a lot lately. It was very similar to the one Padmé gave him when they were talking. It was a look of complete happiness and contentment that a person could only have when they were in the presence of the one they loved deeply, more than in just a platonic way. If he didn't know any better… He forced his mind to get rid of such a ridiculous thought. If anything it was just a crush that she'd be over in a few days, a couple of weeks max. He'd had more than a few crushes on some of the older female jedi in the temple when he was younger, especially some of the Twi'lek…

He decided to go see the younglings again before he went to Padmé's apartment. It would do no good to dwell on Ahsoka's feelings. He wouldn't even mention it to her. He'd probably just embarrass his padawan, and she'd avoid him again. She would get over it… in her own time. He was sure.

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When Ahsoka got to the office, Senator Amidala was there, along with four other Senators. Ahsoka turned to dip out, but the chancellor saw her and gestured for her to stay. She went to stand behind him and look out the window.

Usually, she would pay some attention the topic being discussed, but Ahsoka found herself uninterested in things when it had anything to do with Senator Amidala. She knew what it was about anyway. The delegation of 2000 didn't agree with the Chancellor's decision to appoint governors in fear that it would interfere with the senate and wished for him to stop making changes to the constitution and hindering democracy. Ahsoka didn't really care who made the decisions, and quite honestly, the last people who needed to be making decisions were the people. The masses didn't know what they wanted. If it sounded good, they went with it and even if it was good, but if enough publicity was sent out through the holonet and holomedia, they would oppose it. Someone needed to stop debating with the people and just make the decisions already. And, although she agreed that sometimes he seemed a little dogmatic in the way he took control, Palpatine was doing just that.

"Thank you for your time Your Excellency," Padmé said and left the room with the other four senators.

Ahsoka turned around when they were gone and smirked. "Delegation giving you trouble again."

"I'm trying my best to end this war and sometimes that means I have to make very difficult decisions when it comes to the republic. The republic is crumbling right before our very eyes dear. It isn't working, and we can't wait for it to repair itself. We'll be fighting this war for another thousand years if that's the case. That why I've taken these actions. They are little steps in a much grander plan I have to make this galaxy better."

Ahsoka snapped her head up to meet the chancellor's eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"All in due time," Palpatine replied.

For the first time in a while, Ahsoka began to doubt the chancellor. Something was off about his tone. Then again, she suspected that somehow being around Senator Amidala had planted seeds in her brain about him. She couldn't let that happen. Palpatine was a good man. He understood her. He was even trying to help her save Anakin.

For once, Ahsoka ignored her instincts. She'd stand by the chancellor even if the rest of the jedi opposed him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** I love writing complicated relationships and that's exactly what Padmé and Ahsoka have. It not a pure hate Ahsoka has for Padmé. In fact, she has a lot of reasons to like her but she can't get over her envy and therefore, she hates her. Padmé has every reason to dislike Ahsoka now, even hate her. But she can't because on some level, Padmé understands what she means. They can relate to each other because they both love Anakin, and they're both doing things, albeit on opposite ends of the spectrum, because they love Anakin. Get it? It plays a big part in keeping the plot moving in addition to Anakin's relationship with both of them.

Oh yeah. So how did you like Palpatine's sith story? I felt that in the original movie when he told Anakin about Darth Plagueis kind of sealed the deal for Anakin (even though I thing GL could have come up with something else. There's absolutely no reason for a woman in that age of technology to die in childbirth. It made Anakin seem dumb), so I needed that same deal sealer for Ahsoka, but it had to be something that appealed to what she wanted the most. Darth Salomé's story will also give you an idea of the kind of sith lady Ahsoka will turn out to be. I doubt she would do things exactly like Vader would and did in the original movies. Okay. Hope you enjoyed. Review please


	9. Chapter 9

Okay the chapter we've all been waiting for… Or part of it anyway. No comments… Except this one. A reviewer made the observation that now Palpatine seems to be casting Anakin aside and there's a reason for that which is explained in the next chapter. Okay. That's it. Read, Enjoy, and Review.

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Chapter Nine

Padmé observed her husband's countenance as he walked in the room. She smiled as she took a dress from her closet and placed it in one of her suitcases.

"Well, you're in a much better mood. You'd think someone just told you the war was over with that kind of bounce in your step," Padmé said.

She laughed as Anakin ran to grab her. She dropped her dress and they fell on the bed.

"Ani, stop it."

"Why angel?" He whined kissing her neck.

Padmé laughed once more and then tried to pull form her husband's grasp. "Because, I need to finish this."

"Can't we finish this first?"

"How about we don't even start it? There will be plenty of time for that later," Padmé replied picking up her dress floral sundress and putting it in her suitcase.

"No there's not. Soon you'll be too tired and once you have the baby I'll be waiting at least six weeks. That's even more motivation," Anakin said trying to grab her again but she swooped out his reach. "Angel?"

"You're horrible when you beg Ani," she teased.

Anakin sat next to her suitcase. "What are you doing?"

"Packing our things. With Ob-Wan after General Grievous, the war will be over soon and we can go to Naboo to have the baby."

"So hopeful? After all those times we were given reports and it led to nothing?" Anakin asked.

"I just have a feeling," Padmé replied softly. "You still haven't told me why you're so happy."

"Nothing really," Anakin said. "I just had a little talk with Ahsoka."

Padmé's hand paused over a jumpsuit as she turned to look at Anakin with a slight frown.

"Oh?"

"Yes. She apologized for her words and actions lately. It's not her fault. I know exactly how she feels, inadequate, not living up to expectations, looking like you're headed in the wrong direction… But I think she'll be fine. That's something I love about her. She makes her mistakes, but she always realizes them and atones for them in the end," Anakin boasted proudly of his padawan. "I swear though. If I didn't know any better. I'd say that girl was in love with me."

That caught Padmé's attention, and she turned to look at him. "What makes you say that?"

"Just some of the things she does reminds me of the way you do things when I'm around you," he said dismissively. "Probably just a crush. I'm not going to embarrass her by mentioning it. She'll get over it."

"Hm," Padmé said pretending to be too engrossed in what she was doing to comment. Anakin didn't know the half of it.

Anakin rolled his eyes. "I can see where I'm not wanted. I'll send Threepio in here to help you while I fix lunch instead," he suggested kissing her cheek.

"Just shut him down dear. I can handle it on my own."

Anakin nodded. When he left Padmé let her arms fall in front of her as she sighed. Anakin said Ahsoka apologized, but Padmé had to wonder if it was sincere or if it was just to save face. Of course, Anakin knew Ahsoka better than she did. Perhaps she really was sorry as he said and had seen how wrong she was. Maybe she really did regret what she had done in the last six or seven weeks. But it was just the way Ahsoka said those words to her, that she would hate her so long as she was married to Anakin, that they couldn't be friends ever. It was so full of menace and meaning. Could a person really regret all that so suddenly?

Then again, Anakin didn't know the whole story, even if his hunches were leading him in the right direction. Padmé was positive Ahsoka wouldn't tell him, and if she had done so, Anakin would have come back in a possibly worse mood.

She sat down and for reasons she didn't know, tears fell from her eyes. Padmé had no idea what would happen, but she felt that because of all this, something was about to go horribly wrong.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anakin was in turmoil again a few days later. He didn't get it. What was going on? Why was he having these dreams? He was so afraid of having them he couldn't sleep. Who would destroy the order, try to kill Padmé? Who was it that would accuse him of betraying them? He had betrayed no one. But perhaps if a jedi turned to the dark side and Anakin fought against him, one could say that. But the person had said with Padmé. Perhaps it meant betraying as in defying the code and betraying her and therefore betraying that person… Wait a minute. Since when was it a jedi turned to the dark side? Sure Dooku had been one, but no one had left the order again since him. But it made sense. It was probably the only logical explanation. The Sith Lord had no time to train another apprentice from scratch. He knew immediately who he could scratch off the list. Obi-Wan, Yoda, Ahsok, Mace, Shaak-Ti… Something in the force was whispering to him. Something was wrong with those names. But that was impossible.

Anakin pushed it out of his mind as he looked for Shaak-Ti. He would have looked for Yoda had he not been on Kashyyk. As much as he thought the old jedi was too stuck in his ways, Yoda could probably help him. But Shaak-Ti would do just as well.

He found her with some younglings in a training room. The little children were practicing with lightsabers set to stun. He smiled imagining that his child would one day be among them, practicing with her little saber.

Shaak-Ti noticed him and told the younglings to take a break if they needed. The togrutan master jedi smiled. Whenever he saw her he wondered if this was what Ahsoka would mature into when she got older, a beautiful wise young woman, albeit much more outgoing and spirited that Shaak-Ti was.

"Hello Anakin. It's been a while."

"It certainly has," Anakin said looking out on the children. He spied a two little girl. Both had the same skin tone and features, but one had white hair while the other had black. Both were a somewhat rare sub-human species with natural agility and flexibility. They were sisters, twins. He was there when they were brought to the temple. They didn't know of their relationship, but the force found it fit for them to know they were supposed to share a connection, even though they didn't know it consciously.

"What's on your mind?" she asked.

"I don't know. I just have a bad feeling. A horrible feeling that something is going to happen and I'm not quite sure what," Anakin replied.

"What kind of feeling?"

Anakin sighed. "I've been having dreams of the future, where someone kills all the jedi," he said omitting the fact that the person had tried to kill Padmé.

"At least you can sense something of the future. The dark side clouds everything. The council is practically blinded," Shaak-Ti replied.

Anakin groaned. Apparently this meant that the jedi master would be no help to him either. He would just have to trust that the force would fix everything and that the jedi and Padmé would be safe. It was practically out of his hands. He began to leave the room. Normally he would stay and have more conversation with the jedi master, but he was too worried to come up with anything else to talk with her about.

As he left, his comlink went off and he was surprised to hear the chancellor's voice on the other end. That was odd. He hadn't heard from the man in weeks. He found his way to the senate building and then to the man's office. He wore a grim expression.

"Anakin. My old friend, I'm in dire need of assistance. There's been a minor terrorist attack nearby at one of the embassies near the senate building. It's by a small rebellion loyal to the separatist," he said in a grave tone.

"Are you planning to evacuate the building?"

"No Anakin. I don't believe they plan to attack the senate building, but I do think they plan to do a number of smaller isolated attacks to try to scare the senate or even try to scare me. You don't mind perhaps taking care of this. I'm sure it won't take you long," he said.

"Sure your excellency," Anakin replied and ran to where his speeder was parked. It shouldn't take too long to find them and end this. It was a very simple assignment. The terrorist were probably just a bunch of disgruntled thugs, dissatisfied with the war and trying to make a statement. If anything, it sounded like it might be fun.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ahsoka hated being before the council now more than ever since she was here to report how she had spied on the chancellor. She would never tell them everything though, just the major details, the meeting with the senators and his response and such. Even though Yoda wasn't actually there, his hologram was still as intimidating as ever, as though he could read her every thought and emotion from a holo.

Commander Cody's voice came over the comm. Ahsoka was grateful for the interruption. She could figure out if she was also going to tell the council of her conversation with Palpatine at the opera.

"Padawan Tano. Commander Cody reports that Master Kenobi has engaged in battle with General Grievous. Report this to the chancellor. His reaction to this will give us a clue to his intentions," Mace added.

Ahsoka wasn't exactly as thrilled as she thought she should have been at the thought of the war finally being over. It meant her master had more time to spend on Coruscant with Padmé, less missions with him, and quite possible, her master's expulsion from the jedi. She had spoken with him the day before, and he mentioned that he would be going to Naboo with Padmé soon to have the baby. She had asked him, playing like she was concerned, what would he do if the council sent him on another mission. He told her that hopefully, Obi-Wan would end this was by finding General Grievous. That way, he could reveal his marriage and let the council decide.

Ahsoka huffed. That was purely selfish of her master. Who would finish her training? Who would want to? They'd send her straight to the AgriCorps for her. He mentioned he wouldn't let the council do that and if he had to, he'd take her with him and somehow finish her training. While Ahsoka rejoiced at that, it also meant she would be living with him and his wife. She'd rather stay at the Jedi Temple if that were the case.

"Chancellor Palpatine," she said walking straight into his office. "We've just received word from Master Kenobi. He's engaged in battle with General Grievous."

Palpatine nodded. "It appears this war will soon come to an end."

Ahsoka groaned. "And it also means the end of my jedi career."

"Why would you say that?" Palpatine asked concerned.

"My master plans to tell the council of his relationship as soon as it's official and go to Naboo to have the baby with her. No one will be willing to finish my training. They'll send me away and I…" Ahsoka sighed. "There's nothing you can do about it."

"Maybe there is," Palpatine said.

Ahsoka looked up hopefully. If she didn't finish her training there was no way she could begin to experiment with the powers of seduction. Sure they were of the dark side, but it's not like she was going to become a sith lord or something.

"Is there?" she asked.

"Yes, but first you have to break through the fog of lies the jedi have forced you to believe about the force. Let me help you to know the subtleties of the force," he suggested.

Sirens went off in Ahsoka's head. "How would you know the ways of the force?"

Palpatine turned to her. "My master taught me everything about the force… even the nature of the dark side," he added looking her in the eye.

Ahsoka stumbled back. This was why everyone was trying to warn her, to tell her something wasn't right.

"You know the dark side?" she asked almost shaking from shock.

"Ahsoka, if one is to understand the great mystery of the force, one must study all its aspects, not just the dogmatic, narrow view of the Jedi. If you wish to become a complete and wise force user, you must embrace a larger view of the Force. Be careful of the Jedi, Ahsoka," Palpatine said gravely. "In time they will destroy you. Let me train you."

"But why would they-?" Ahsoka couldn't continue. Now she was confused again.

"They fear you. You and Anakin. They see your potential if you keep training under him. Unfortunately, Anakin has fallen under their control with the help of Senator Amidala."

Ahsoka shook her head. "I won't be a pawn in all this. You're the Sith Lord."

"Only through me can you achieve a power greater than the jedi and once you achieve that power you can make Anakin forget all about Senator Amidala. You'll both be free from control," Palpatine said.

Ahsoka stared. That sounded good, to be free from the control and the restrictions of the jedi, to finally have her master's love and be rid of the senator. She would get everything she wanted. All she had to do was say yes to Palpatine.

She opened her mouth to say yes, but then caught herself. What was she doing? Palpatine was evil. She lit her light saber and glared at him.

"Are you going to kill me?" asked Palpatine casually.

"Believe me," Ahsoka replied firmly. "I would really like to."

"I can feel the conflict in you Ahsoka, your anger. It makes you focus, stronger. Use it."

If she killed him, the jedi would make her a hero. They would probably make her a jedi knight, one of the youngest in history. Her name would go down as legend. The galaxy would thank her and perhaps she'd finally get the attention she wanted from her master. But he didn't really too much care about those things as much as he did Padmé. There was no guarantee it would work, but if she could learn the dark side maybe…

She turned off her light saber. "I'm telling the council. Let them decided what to do to you."

"But the council doesn't exactly trust you, do they? They probably plotted with Senator Amidala to gain control over Anakin and now they're trying to plot to gain your control. They're next move will be against the republic."

"I don't need your help," Ahsoka hissed growling at him. "I'll uncover the truth of all this myself."

She ran out the office, straight to the temple. Nothing made sense. Last she heard the sith were on the side of the separatists, if only for the fact that the jedi were helping the republic. It suddenly dawned on her though. The whole war had been for nothing. It had been completely orchestrated by Palpatine to get into power. She bet it dated all the way back to the blockade on Naboo. Then again, without him, some of the corruption of the senate, the jedi, and the galaxy in general wouldn't have been revealed.

No, Ahsoka thought to herself. There was nothing good about orchestrating a war. It was wrong, and she was reporting it to the council. That's what she had to focus on.

She was just in time to find five members of the council about to board a ship. For what reason, she didn't know.

"Master Windu," she said breathlessly.

"Can it wait Padawan Tano? We've just received word that Master Kenobi has defeated General Grievous. We're going to see the chancellor and make sure he returns his emergency powers back to the senate," Mace said irritated turning away from her

"That's what this is about. The chancellor," Ahsoka said moving to be in the master's line of view again. "He's not going to give back the emergency powers. The war was a ploy. Palpatine's the sith lord."

"A sith lord?"

"Yes!" Ahsoka exclaimed exasperated. "You know, the one we've been looking for. The one we thought was controlling Palpatine?"

"How do you know this?"

"He told me. He knows the dark side. I could feel it," Ahsoka explained.

"You're sure?"

Ahsoka almost rolled her eyes. Did Master Windu think she would joke about this? Palpatine was right. The jedi didn't trust her.

"Positive."

"Then our worse fears have been realized. We must move quickly if the jedi order is to survive," Mace said.

Ahsoka tilted her head at the man a little. Since when was everything about the survival of the jedi? What about the galaxy? A sith was in control of everything. Then again, maybe the galaxy was better off with a sith in control.

"Can I go?" she asked boldly.

"This is no game Tano. This is way beyond your scope of capability. Go to your quarters and stay there. We'll come find you to debrief you about all this later," Mace said.

Ahsoka stood back and watched the transport leave before going to her quarters. Normally she wasn't this obedient. The council had gotten on her for disobeying direct orders before, but what could she do. In fact, she was glad Master Windu told her she couldn't go. Why would she want to fight beside people who didn't trust her, had made her spy on a friend, used Senator Amidala to betray and gain control over her master, which in turn made her master betray her by being with that Senator?

Then again, her friend had been a sith lord, but he had done nothing but good for her. He had taken her under his wing, comforted her when she couldn't deal with her master and Senator Amidala's relationship, tried to help her save her master from the senator's and the jedi's control, and when none of that worked, he offered to help teach her another way, through the force, to free her master and get him to love her like she loved him. It was a lot more than the jedi had done.

Sure they bought her here and housed her, but she hadn't had much of a choice when it came to training. It was either train or go to the AgriCorps. She didn't have the option of becoming a pilot or a diplomat or a politician if she wanted. They didn't give her the option of one day getting a family, not having to live being lonely because it helped promote discipline and focus. But jedi were expected to help families and people. How could they when the jedi believed that as long as there was the force, those things didn't matter? Hypocrites…

Tears of rage and sadness fell down Ahsoka's face. The jedi gave her everything they thought she needed to keep her alive as long as she was with them. But Palpatine was offering to give her everything she would ever need or want in return for letting him teach her, and the jedi would probably kill him if he didn't back down.

Ahsoka stood up, having come to a decision, but there had never been a decision to make. She ran out her quarters with the intent of going to the chancellor office to end this war and her confusion once and for all.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

AN: So I had to get Anakin out the way, well Palpatine did, because I think Anakin would have been able to stop Ahsoka if he were there. The force doesn't tell him anything because at the time, nothing is wrong yet. Also, as you can see, Ahsoka's reaction was a little different than Anakin's was. The sole reason being that she's still a teenager. While Anakin was 22 and kind of knew what direction he wanted to go, no matter how dark, Ahsoka is sixteen and that's a confusing age. So when Palpatine breaks it to her, that just messes her up, and no amount of jedi discipline helps her initially. Actually, I think Anakin was a little too calm about it in the movie. But Whatever…

Now for that cliffy… My dad just came out of nowhere and said we need to go out of town and I'm like warning much? So I might not get back to the internet until Sunday or Monday. My grandmother really needs to get out the stone age. Go ahead and leave long rants in your reviews if you wish. Hope you enjoyed. Review.


	10. Chapter 10

Okay people! I got back earlier than I anticipated. Normally we stay the entire weekend. Now normally I don't like to post on Saturday night or anytime Sunday, but since I left that horrible cliffy, I said what the heck. This chapter was interesting to me because I had to take into account that Ahsoka is sixteen and not a knight yet and therefore less experienced that most of the jedi. However, she does have to lead an attack on the temple… The thing that makes this believable is that I read somewhere that Ahsoka was more skilled than the average padawan her age, not that she could defeat a master jedi, even with the dark side. I also had to take into account she's a teenager. So how could I make her still a teenager, but mature enough to make the choice to join the dark side…

Oh yeah. There's a scene with Barriss in it. The reason is that as I watched a few random episodes of the clone wars, I noticed that Ahsoka is always trying to prove herself somehow and I've weaved that into the story a bit. And you finally learn Ahsoka's sith name in here. Pay close attention to the pronunciation I provide at the end of the story. I hope you like it. If not, let me know and I can quite easily change it, but only if I get an overwhelming majority of you saying you don't like it. But I don't know… It's really grown on me since I decided on it. Read, enjoy, and review!

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter Ten

When Ahsoka got to Palpatine's office, he was in the middle of fighting Master Windu. The jedi master accidently slashed a window in somehow disarming the chancellor. Palpatine fell against the window's edge.

"You are under arrest My Lord," Mace shouted.

Palpatine spotted Ahsoka watching and pleaded with her. "Didn't I tell you Ahsoka? The jedi were plotting to take over."

"The oppression of the sith will never return," Mace declared. "Your plot to regain control of the republic is over. You've lost."

"No!" Palpatine roared. "Die!"

Palpatine threw force lightning at the jedi, but he blocked it with his light saber. Ahsoka looked on feeling helpless.

"He's a traitor Ahsoka!" Palpatine said to her.

"He's the traitor!" Mace said. "Help me stop him."

"Come to your senses Ahsoka. The jedi have betrayed me. And then they'll betray you. They already have. You're not like them Ahsoka. Don't let them kill me."

Ahsoka started to walk backwards. This was all too much. She had left the temple knowing exactly what she was going to do, but now she didn't know if she had the strength to do it.

"I'm your pathway to power. I can show you how to get the one you love," Palpatine pleaded, and then Mace began to get the upper hand. The lightning began to backfire on Palpatine. It distorted and disfigured his face. His eyes turned yellow.

"I'm going to end this once and for all," Mace said pushing the lightning back.

"No," Ahsoka said starting to move back towards them trying to come up with anything that would save the fallen sith. "You can't kill him. We can put him on trail."

"He has too much control over the senate and courts. He's too dangerous to be left alive," Mace said and finally Palpatine's hands fell to his side as he lay helplessly before the jedi master's blade.

"I'm too weak," the old sith said.

"Master Mace, this isn't the jedi way," Ahsoka pleaded even though she knew in the back her mind Mace really had no other choice. "You can't kill him."

Mace ignored her.

"I-I need him…"

He raised his blade for the killing blow.

"No!" Ahsoka cried and summoned all her anger and fear into a burning inferno. Then with a strength and speed she didn't know she could possess, she blocked the blade and pushed it away with such force, Mace fell over or maybe it was from shock. She didn't know, and she didn't care as she sliced off his hands.

When Ahsoka realized what she had done, she backed away and began to cry, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry," she whispered sincerely. "But I can't let you… I love him too much. It's the only way…"

Ahsoka trailed off muttering incoherent apologies and reasons as Palpatine got back up having recovered in the last few moments. He poured more lightning into Mace, and the jedi master fell off the ledge to his death.

Palpatine smiled and turned to Ahsoka. Ahsoka sat down and looked on in horror.

"What have I done?" she asked.

"You're fulfilling your destiny Ahsoka. Become my apprentice. Let me teach you the ways of the dark side," Palpatine urged his voice laced with evil intent, but Ahsoka didn't care anymore. It was time to suck it up. It was either the jedi or Anakin.

"I'll do anything you ask," she said finally looking at him. "Just please. Help me save Anakin. Help me make him desire me. I can't continue living knowing he loves someone else."

"That height of force ability, the power of ultimate seduction, is a power only one has achieved, but I'm sure that it you find Darth Salomé's diaries and immerse yourself in the dark side, it can be done," he said.

Ahsoka fell off her seat to her knees before him. "I pledge myself to your teachings, to the ways of the sith."

Palpatine smiled. "Good," he said. "The force is strong in you. Henceforth, your name shall be Darth… Pesinoé."

"Thank you my master," the togrutan girl replied.

"Rise Darth Pesinoé," Sidious said walking to his desk and pulling on his cloak.

Pesinoé stood up and followed him as Sidious gave her and extra cloak to put around her. She did so and pulled up the hood. It made her feel older than she was, more mature.

"Because the council did not trust you my young apprentice, I believe you are the only jedi not aware of this plot," he said. "When the rest of the jedi get word of this, they will kill us along with the senators."

"I agree. The jedi's next move will be against the senate, but some of them deserve to die."

"I don't think any of the senators knew about that part of the jedi's plan except maybe Senator Amidala. You will deal with her and the other senators will be dealt with. But we must move quickly against the jedi. They are relentless and if they are not destroyed, there will be an endless civil war. Go to the jedi temple and catch the jedi off guard. Do what must be done. Show no mercy and you be all that closer to achieving your goal."

"What about the other jedi across the galaxy and Anakin?" Pesinoé asked.

Palpatine already knew how to deal with the other jedi, but the game for Anakin had changed. He could still be turned, but Sidious was beginning to wonder if Anakin's former padawan had even more potential than he did in the dark side. She was just as much a prodigy as Anakin was at that age. Sure his wife's death would drive him to the dark side, but only so far because she would still love him, and that would keep him from reaching his potential. But Pesinoé's anger at the senator and the possibility that Anakin might reject her forever would continue to drive her, especially if Anakin forced the girl to kill him while still rejecting her. He finally replied.

"I'm not sure. I fear the manipulations of the council and Senator Amidala may have put him out of our reach. Hopefully, he can still see reason and become aware of their lies. If not…"

Pesinoé nodded. "I understand master."

"As for the other jedi, their treachery will bill dealt with. After you have killed the jedi, go kill Viceroy Gunray and the other separatist. You do remember where they are?"

"Yes master."

"Good. Once you have done that, the sith will rule the galaxy, and there will finally be peace again."

When Pesinoé left, Palpatine lifted a control on his wrist that controlled the clones.

"Execute order 66."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Shaak-Ti felt something was wrong long before the army of clones led by a sith were on the steps of the temple. When Anakin had left, she just had this feeling and when it wouldn't go away she led the younglings she was with to a secret room in the temple where ships similar to escape pods were. They were automatic and made for a one way trip. As soon as they landed, their engines were shot. It had been a precaution put in decades ago in case of an emergency in the temple and people had to get out. However, the jedi were so sure of their survival in those days that they were only a few installed to pacify some activists who wished for the jedi to have a better escape route if they were attacked. They would only fit one full grown jedi, but they would fit two younglings.

Shaak-Ti knew she was asking for trouble if her feeling turned out to be nothing, but it was better safe than sorry. They could always retrieve the younglings later.

She loaded the small ships one at a time and started with two younglings for the first ship deciding that the children would be safer on backwater or lawless planets. It would be safer there then here.

"Find a safe place, someone who will take care of you. Draw out with your senses and never use your powers again until a jedi finds you and tells you it's safe," she instructed all the children as the first pod took off.

She managed to three more off before she heard footsteps coming towards the secret room. She used her light saber to ruin the control. It would take a minute to break through that door even with a light saber. It left her just enough time to get two more younglings away. The rest would have to stay with her and she would pray to the force she had the strength to fight off their attackers.

She grabbed a girl and then another little boy but the girl started to protest loudly. She didn't know why until she looked at her. It was one of the twins. They had no clue they were related but they shared a powerful bond all the same. She looked amongst the group and saw the other twin sobbing in the corner. She grabbed her and put her next to her sister. The door closed and she put in the coordinates.

"Corellia," she said. It was a tough planet, but the girls would survive as long as they stayed together. She had just enough time to send the spacecraft off before the door fell down.

She turned ready to fight and sighed in relieve when she saw it was just Ahsoka.

"It's just you. Help me get the younglings away. I fear something bad is about to happen," the jedi master said.

"You're right," the young togrutan said in a strange tone looking past Shaak-Ti. "The temple is under attack."

"I knew it," the older togrutan said turning to help one of the younglings into the pod. "Help me Ahsoka."

When her plea was only met by silence, Shaak-Ti turned around…

"Ahso-." Her words were cut off by the girl's blade slicing through her front.

Not quite comprehending what she had done, a young boy with blue eyes and blonde hair that reminded Pesinoé of Anakin walked up to her.

"What's going on?" he asked. "What should we do?"

For a moment, Pesinoé considered letting the younglings go. They were no harm. They were only just beginning their training. She could send the rest of them off in the pods and they would never bother anyone. She looked at the boy who reminded her of Anakin again and shook her head. Anakin… That's who she was doing this for and if the younglings had to die too, so be it.

"Master?" the boy said again and Pesinoé ripped her blade through him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Barriss was doing her best to defend the jedi temple. Clones weren't really a real threat to jedi, but in these kinds of numbers, it was a challenge. She had narrowly missed being killed like many of her comrades. She was glad she had been delayed on taking off for her next mission. With all the council gone and most of their numbers spread across the galaxy, she and a few other knights were the only thing standing between the clones and the complete destruction of the temple.

As she took down the last clones in the room, she looked around and felt around with her senses for danger. The voice warned her. Something sinister was in the room… it was behind her.

Barriss struck out with her blade only to be met by another blade, the blade of one of her close friend, Ahsoka.

"Oh it's just you," she said putting down her blade. "Is there anyone else with you?"

"No. Just me. Everyone else I've come across is dead. We just may be the only ones left," Pesinoé said to the older girl.

"And the rest of the council?"

"Dead."

Pesinoé almost laughed at how easy it was to take care of the rest of the council. Were they so blind that they didn't sense the darkness around her, that she was the sith lady they were scouting the temple for? It had been easy enough to get them to turn their backs. It might have been a cowardly way yes, but she wasn't a fool. She was strong, but the council was still more experienced and skilled. Only one had caused her a little trouble, but it had been easier to take him out than expected. It only proved that the dark side made her stronger than the light ever would have and she was that much closer to having Anakin… She needed to find him too.

"Ahsoka," Barriss said carefully. Something was off about the girl. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Barriss," Ahsoka said.

"Come on. We have to get to the control room. A transmission's been sent out telling all jedi to return to the temple. We can't let anymore jedi walk into this trap," Barriss said starting that way.

"That won't be necessary Barriss," Pesinoé said.

"You got to it already?"

"No," the togrutan girl replied. "I'm the one who sent it."

"But why would you do-?" Barriss didn't continue as the force screamed a warning to her, and she brought up her saber just in time to meet her friend's blade.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"What must be done," Pesinoé said twirling her blade to try and penetrate Barriss's defenses. The jedi knight met her strike for strike.

"You've betrayed us," Barriss said.

"No. You all have betrayed me. I'm returning the favor."

Barriss forced herself to attack her former friend. She was the one with the advantage anyway. Pesinoé used a force attack. Barris gained the upper hand when she repelled the attack with her own. She pushed back against Pesinoé forcing her to step back.

"You'll never overpower me. You're just a padawan, while I'm the jedi knight. Your training is incomplete," Barriss added.

Pesinoé bared her teeth at the knight and suddenly, to Barriss' surprise, she overpowered the jedi knight. Barriss was thrown into a wall, her light saber falling out her hand.

"Wrong," Pesinoé said. "You're the jedi knight and I'm the sith lady. I've embraced the force and not just the narrow minded view of the jedi. It is your training that is incomplete."

Barriss had no words to say. She just stared in shock. All she could muster was, "A sith…"

"Think of it this way Barriss. You don't believe in a dark side or a light side. It's how you use it," Pesinoé said and decapitated her head.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anakin groaned as he chased the terrorist through the city. He had been going on with this for the last hour. These guys were too skilled to be just a small band of rebels. Something else was going on. He lost his view on them and his control of his speeder as a horrible disturbance in the force distracted him. He felt, sadness, confusion, hate, anger and the worst of them pain from all the jedi, but the brunt of these emotions came from his padawan.

"Ahsoka," he muttered through his clenched teeth and tried to regain control of his speeder. It was too late though. Anakin crashed into the sidewalk and it was only by a miracle of the force that he was unscathed, but even so the pain of the other jedi and the emotions coming off his padawan through their bond weighed down on Anakin. He struggled out of the ruined speeder and with difficulty ran down the street to see if he could find some help.

It was then he realized he had fallen to a lower level of coruscant, and the chances of anything being down there were slim. He groaned. There wasn't enough time to climb to one of the high levels. He needed to get to Ahsoka and the jedi temple fast. He saw the answer to his problem in the form of an old broken down speeder. He ran to it and looked at the engine. All it needed was a little of his magic. It would certainly take a while, but it would be easier than trying to get back to the higher levels of the city, not to mention he just didn't have the strength to try and fight the scum that lived down here to do it.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Padmé stood sobbing as she looked out her window at the smoke coming out the jedi temple. She bet Anakin was there. He wasn't dead. He was alive. That much she was sure of, but he hadn't contacted her and she didn't know where he was. What was going on?

She rubbed her swollen belly trying to sooth her baby. It was restless. Perhaps it knew something was wrong too. She started to go to her closet to get a senatorial robe to put on. The chancellor had called an emergency session of the senate and despite her turmoil, she had to be there. Maybe he knew what was going on.

"Miss Padmé," Threepio said. "There's a speeder on the veranda."

Padmé rushed out the room and to the veranda. It had to be Anakin. Maybe he could tell her what was happening. She stopped when she noticed it wasn't. It was Ahsoka, his padawan. But there seemed to be something different about her. Something was off, but she was Anakin's padawan, and despite the fact that the girl hated her, she was welcome. Maybe she knew what happened to Anakin.

"Ahsoka," Padmé about to approach her.

"Don't come any closer," the girl said.

Padmé would have ignored her, but something about Ahsoka's aura told her to stop. "What's going on?"

"The jedi have betrayed the republic," Pesinoé said simply. She really wanted to kill the senator right then and there, but she couldn't. Not yet.

"I don't believe it!" she said getting ready to defend the jedi and her husband if she had to.

"I saw them try to kill the chancellor with my own eyes. It's true. Many of the jedi have been killed."

"What are you going to do? What about Anakin?" Padmé demanded suddenly forgetting her tears. Ahsoka wasn't telling her something.

"I haven't betrayed the republic. My loyalties lie with the chancellor and Anakin."

"Where is he?" Padmé pleaded this time in worry. Could Ahsoka stop being so evasive?

"I don't know," Pesinoé said in a deadly calm tone. "I'll have to try to find him after I deal with the separatist on Mustafar and the senate. Some of the senators are corrupt and will be dealt with."

"What?"

Pesinoé lit her light saber and put it to Padmé's throat.

"That's why I'm here," Pesinoé whispered venomously. "My new master ordered me to kill you and I was so glad. I've wanted to be rid of you for months and now I can do so, without anyone trying to stop me."

Padmé was scared. Ahsoka was a little taller than her, but that had never intimidated her until now with a light saber at her throat. She couldn't die. Her baby… Pesinoé put it away suddenly.

"But I won't."

"Because of Anakin?" Padmé asked carefully.

"No. He'd be better off without you. You've still got him caught in you pathetic web of lies and false love and devotion. I fear that if I kill you before he realizes that, it would just push him away from me more," Pesinoé decided.

Padmé let her outrage come through now that a light saber wasn't at her throat. How dare the girl accuse her of falsely loving Anakin? Padmé had put up with enough of her envy.

"Of course I love him. I'm not some whore trying to get something from him. I'm carrying his child."

Pesinoé shrugged. "That's what you say, but in any case I want you to leave. Never come back. Don't try to contact Anakin. Don't try to call any authorities because I am the authority now. If you cause any trouble, I'll kill you and your baby."

"But Anakin-."

"Will be so hurt that you left him because his former padawan found out about your plan and threatened to reveal it to him. He'll be so angry because you didn't love him, or at least care about him enough to tell you where you went so he could see his child, if it was his at all, and I'll be here to comfort him."

Padmé was so shocked that this was Ahsoka talking she didn't bother to protest or even admonish her. Had her envy driven Ahsoka to this? And what new master?

"I'm going to Mustafar now. When I come back, you better be gone or there will be sith hell to pay," Pesinoé said and got in her ship. She left the planet, leaving Padmé again confused and now scared in her wake.

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AN: Okay people. Let's say it together! Pe(short e) si (short i) no(as in the word no) a (long a). Pesinoé. It comes from the name of one the Greek sirens. Pesinoé was the seductress. I might be wrong but I know that name had something to do with seductress.

Alright so Ahsoka's envy has driven her crazy pretty much. I noticed in the show she even has the potential to be a little jealous and I thought the scene with Mace and her apologizing showed one of her personality traits. She's seems to be very apologetic after she does something, but that never stops her from doing it in the first place. I don't know. Anyway. We're only three chapters to the end of this story, but don't worry. I decided to write the sequel but that won't be out for at least a month. Tell me how you enjoyed it. Review please!


	11. Chapter 11

Hey everyone. Despite my earlier convictions, here I am, posting on a Sunday and guess what. Another cliffy is at the end. I swear I don't do those on purpose, but the perfect break always presents itself at those points. Anywho, Anakin finds out about Ahsoka in this one and it was so hard and easy to write at the same time. I was in pain just writing it.

And a special thanks to Sith Lord Darth Dragonis for calling to attention that the previous chapters needed a little proofreading. I was mortified when I went back and saw some of the grammar mistakes and things I overlooked in the story and went back immediately to correct them. You don't have to go back and read it. The story is still the same. It just makes for a smoother read. Okay. That's it. Read. Enjoy. And Review.

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Chapter Eleven

"So this is how liberty dies? With thunderous applause?" Padmé asked Bail.

Chancellor Palpatine, or Emperor Palaptine now, had been elaborating on a plot by the jedi to kill him and overthrow the senate. It was a preposterous accusation. The jedi had been the protectors of the republic for nearly a millennium. They wouldn't just suddenly turn on it. In fact, if that's what they had wanted, they could have achieved it a long time ago.

As always, the senate didn't question him. They just went right along with it. She was absolutely dumbfounded. How had this happened? She knew exactly how. She had seen the republic crumbling long before Palpatine had declared a new empire and himself emperor. That's why she had fought so hard to end the war and restore power to the senate. But now, there was no need for a senate. It was an empire. The emperor's word was now law. He could make the galaxy however he wanted.

Her thoughts went back to Ahsoka and what she had seen. She said she was loyal to Palpatine. She couldn't be loyal to this. There had to be something else. Something had been different about her. She had tried to kill her for God's sake.

Her thoughts were still with Anakin's former padawan when she got back to her apartment. Whatever was going on, Ahsoka knew about it and Padmé wanted to find out everything. It would be dangerous, but for the galaxy's sake, Anakin's sake, she had to find her.

"Threepio," she called going to her room, pulling out a jumpsuit that would show her obvious pregnancy. It didn't matter anymore though.

"Yes Miss Padmé?"

"Call captain Typhoo and tell him to prepare my ship," she said.

When Padmé was dressed, she found Artoo and told him to stop working on the holonet. She had another task for him.

"If Anakin returns… When Anakin returns tell him that I'm fine, and I'm going to return."

The droid began to beep hysterically in protest detecting something was wrong, especially since Padmé didn't specify where she was going.

"It will be alright Artoo. I promise," she said. "Threepio, come with me."

Padmé was going to get to the bottom of this, and Ahsoka threatening to kill her wasn't going to stop her.

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It took a few hours, but he finally rigged the speeder so that it would fly. It wasn't as fast as the one he crashed, but it worked. However, it couldn't fly fast enough when he saw smoke coming from the temple. He rushed to it and landed. As he started up the steps to enter, three clones pointed their guns to him. Anakin grabbed his light saber to deflect the shots and then slice through the clones.

Something was definitely wrong. The clones were on their side. Why would they attack the jedi? Anakin went in the temple dreading what he would find. He had to lean on a wall for support when his eyes took sight of the interior of the temple. He quickly let go of it when he saw there was blood on it though.

The entire temple was littered with the bodies of dead jedi; padawans, masters, and younglings… Younglings, he thought as he started through the halls. How could the clones kill younglings? They were practically harmless, defenseless. He searched the temple to see if he could find any survivors and found a room he didn't know the temple had. It was some kind of room filled with emergency escape ships and by the looks of some of the empty spaces, someone had sent a few off. He sighed in relief. Someone got away.

Anakin looked at the ground and saw Shaak-Ti's body, along with some of the bodies of her youngling class. So she had been trying to get the younglings away. Apparently there hadn't been enough time before their attackers found them. His eyes fell on a little boy with blonde hair and blue eyes. He bent down to close his eyes as he thought of his and Padmé's child. How could anyone do something like this? This could have been his child, slaughtered.

The wound on the boy caught his eye. It wasn't a blaster wound, but clean cut of a light saber… Oh no, he thought as he dream came rushing back to him. It was the work of the sith. His vision was coming true. Anakin ran to the control room. Surely the holocams had recorded what had happened. Before he went to the cams, he stopped the beacon telling all jedi to return to the temple. If anyone was left, they had to stay away from the capital.

He rewinded to a few hours before, around the time he had felt the horrible force disturbance. He watch as the sith came up the temple steps with an army of clones and swept the temple. The person killed every Jedi he came across. Anakin frowned. He knew that fighting style… It was oddly familiar. Then the person came to the secret door to the room Anakin had found Shaak-Ti in and cut the door down with his light saber. He removed his hood and Anakin found out it wasn't a him, it was a her. And a familiar her to begin with, his padawan. Anakin fell down in a chair horrified by what he saw. He stopped the tape. He couldn't watch anymore.

This had to be the force's idea of a sick and cruel joke. Ahsoka wouldn't do this. It had to be an impostor. But the force told him that this was no impostor. It was Ahsoka alright. But why would she do this? How could she do this?

Anakin's mind was a whirl of thoughts and emotions. He had to find her, to possibly knock some sense into her. Something was very wrong with her. But he found he couldn't find the strength to move. The weight of what he had seen lied heavy on his body. This was how Master Yoda found him when he got there later. Anakin didn't know how long it had been and he didn't care.

"Knight skywalker," he said. "Massacre of the jedi, horrified you, it has. But something else I sense, weighing upon you. Found out you did who betrayed us."

Anakin nodded and pointed to the holocam. Yoda play the tape where Anakin had left off. It showed Ahsoka killing younglings and later her fighting and killing Barriss. Yoda frowned and then even more when he saw the girl talking to Palpatine, or Darth Sidious as they knew then.

"Know now why disturbed I felt when informed me of Palpatine's sudden interest in your padawan you did. Right in front of us all along, Darth Sidious was," Yoda said grimly. "Taken your former padawan as an apprentice, he has."

Anakin shook his head in denial. Seeing it was one thing, but hearing it out of Yoda's mouth made it even more true if that was possible. Suddenly he knew how it felt to lose a child or a padawan. It was like Ahsoka had died out of nowhere. Like one expected their child to outlive them, he had expected that Ahsoka would grow to one day maybe even surpass him as a great jedi. Someone being better than he was used to scare him until Ahsoka became his padawan.

Obi-Wan came in the room and looked at Anakin. He didn't have to look at the holocam recording to know who had led the clones in the attack on the temple.

"I'm sorry Anakin," he said regretfully

"I just can't believe it. It can't be… Why would she have done this? I can't get my mind to comprehend it," Anakin muttered finally moving from his spot to stand up.

"Destroy the sith, we must," Yoda said gravely.

Anakin shook his head. "Please master. Send me to go after Sidious. I can't fight Ahsoka, my own padawan."

"Destroyed by the dark side your padawan was. Ahsoka Tano she no longer is. Darth Pesinoé, she has become," Yoda explained.

"I can't," Anakin insisted and Yoda sighed, shaking his head.

"In emotional turmoil you are Knight Skywalker. Perhaps best it would be if flee this planet you do. To a neutral system, you will go. Send to us the coordinates, you shall," Yoda replied.

Anakin then remembered Padmé. He had to get her and the baby off the planet. It was too dangerous, especially since Ahsoka knew they were married. She had probably told the sith lord.

"Padmé," he said. "I have to get her first."

"The senator?" Yoda asked not surprised in the least. He had practically seen it coming. They had always been close.

"She's my wife. She's pregnant. I have to go get her. Perhaps she'll know of a planet we can go to," Anakin said and then left the room. He couldn't stay there anymore.

Obi-Wan looked at Yoda. "I have to kill her don't I?"

Yoda nodded.

"But I don't even know where she is," Obi-Wan protested.

"Use your feelings Obi-Wan and find her, you will," Yoda said.

Obi-Wan was hoping he didn't say that because his feelings were saying to follow Anakin to Padmé's apartment.

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When Anakin got there, Padmé wasn't there. She couldn't have up and left. All her things were still there, and something was telling him she was in danger. But where could she have gone?

Artoo rolled out of the back and started beeping madly. Something about Padmé leaving and saying she'd be back, but he didn't know where. Anakin groaned. What could have happened?

He wracked his brain and suddenly he was taken back to a conversation he had with Ahsoka. Somehow they had gotten on the topic of the separatist. It was something Palp- Sidious had told her. She was saying that they were just as much cowards as Grievous to hide instead of fighting for what they believed in, even if it was wrong. He remembered saying that where ever they were, he was sure they were living in some forest planet like Endor where they thought no one would look. She had responded jokingly, but now he wondered if she was being serious.

"_Or maybe they're sweating like banthas on the Mustafar system," she said dryly_

His dream came back to him. They had been on a fiery planet like Mustafar in his dream, and it was just like Padmé to go find out what was going on. She hated being out of the loop. He paled dramatically and got in the small aircraft he had taken from the jedi hanger. He called Artoo over. The droid rolled over to Anakin and the young jedi attached him to the speeder just as Obi-Wan stepped out of his.

"Anakin. Where are you going?"

"Ahsoka. She's on the Mustafar system. I think somehow Padmé knew where she went and followed her there. I've got to get there quick," Anakin said. The only thing that calmed him was in the dream, Padme wasn't dead. She had been alive. But Anakin hated to think what would happen if he didn't get to Mustafar in time in any case.

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Padmé landed on the fiery inferno planet that was Mustafar. She rubbed her belly in worry. Everything had gone so wrong. The war had been difficult, but there had always been some hope that peace and democracy would be restored, especially with the jedi. But now it was so wrong. Palpatine just didn't get it. There would never be peace in an empire where there was one sole ruler and the people didn't have a voice. It was when people didn't have a voice and thought they were being forced to do something that they started rebellion.

"Stay here Threepio," she said. "I'll be back."

Padmé walked down the ramp and walked with a purpose towards the building. It was hot and humid, a very uncomfortable atmosphere for a pregnant woman, but she only had one purpose in mind. She didn't get far from her ship though. Ahsoka came out the building and met her there.

Pesinoé scowled. No matter what she did, this woman always came back to haunt her.

The two women glared at each other, two women who were in love with the same man, who would go to the ends of the galaxy for him if they had to. They had both proven that in the last few hours.

Pesinoé broke the silence and laughed coldly. "I have to hand it to you Senator. You're very bold coming here to face me after what I told you."

"You won't kill me," Padmé said sternly.

"Yes mother," Pesinoé said rolling her eyes. "What kind of authority do you think you have?"

"You only said you didn't want to find me back on Coruscant when you got there. You never said anything about following you," Padmé replied.

"So like a politician," Pesinoé snarled. "You know exactly what I meant. But in any case, I'll give you a chance to leave now with your life and your baby."

Padmé was in no way deterred. "I'm not leaving until I know what's going on. I just came back from a senate session where Palpatine declared the jedi traitors. He's just declared himself emperor. You're not loyal that, are you?"

"He's done a better job at bringing peace to the galaxy than any jedi could have accomplished in a matter of days. The war is over and now there's peace," Pesinoé replied in a factual tone. "But I don't have to explain myself to you."

"Anakin wouldn't agree with this," Padmé said hoping to play on the girl's love for her husband. "He'd fight this."

"How would you know that?" Pesinoé asked and then groaned. "Wait. Of course you'd know. You and the jedi manipulated him and brainwashed him into you little puppet to be used like a mindless robot. You all used him so that you might be able to take over the republic and betray him. But it didn't work. My master and I saw through your plan and stopped it before you could carry it through."

"Plan to take over the republic?" Padmé asked bemused. "Are you listening to youself. That's ridiculous Ahsoka. The jedi have been guardians of the republic for over a thousand years. They-."

"Don't call me that," Pesinoé shouted. "That name has no meaning anymore. It belonged to the weak girl who almost fell to the manipulations of the jedi, who weren't letting her unmask her true potential in the force. My name is Darth Pesinoé."

"Darth Pesinoé?" Padmé asked and then put a hand to her mouth. "You're a sith and… Palpatine is your new master."

"Sidious offered me everything, gave me everything and wants nothing in return. Now not only am I more powerful than I ever could have been with the jedi, I have the power to make Anakin hate you and desire me," Pesinoé said.

Tears sprang to Padmé's eyes again that day as her heart began to ache for her husband. He'd be devastated, heartbroken.

"Is that what this is all about?" she asked. She knew the girl was jealous, envious even, of her marriage to Anakin, but she didn't think it would drive her to do something like this.

"I've brought peace to the galaxy and once I'm rid of you, me and Anakin will rule the galaxy the way we want to, without anyone telling us to restrict our feelings."

Padme stared at the woman. Surely she could see reason…? No. She couldn't. Any reasonable argument Padmé could give would be shot down with whatever Pesinoé had come up with to justify her actions.

She looked at her in disgust and backed away. "You're sick. Don't you see yourself? You're not really in love with Anakin. You're obsessed because you can't get him, and you think you deserve him. If you really loved him, you'd want him to be happy even if that meant him being with someone else. None of this is going to impress Anakin. You've destroyed everything he holds dear. The republic, the jedi, yourself and you're trying to destroy me."

"Shut up," Pesinoé growled. "Everything I've done is because I love him even if it means I have to hurt him in the process."

"You don't love him. You don't deserve him if that's what you think. You're obsessed and the more you try to pull him toward you, the more you're just succeeding in pushing him away. He might have loved you before. Who knows what could have happened in the future? But now, he might never love you," Padmé said raising her voice and getting firmer with every word. "Not like this."

"Because of you," Pesinoé spat.

Padmé shook her head. "Not because of me. Because of what you've done, what you're planning to do," she said and then softened her tone. "Perhaps it's not too late Ahsoka. Stop. Stop now. Come with me and we'll find Anakin and go somewhere where no one will find us. We'll tell Anakin everything. He'll understand. He'll forgive you. We'll help you heal your pain and find peace with yourself. Please, for Anakin's sake!" Padmé pleaded.

Pesinoé had had enough of the woman's talk.

"You liar! Don't act like you care. Don't act like you want to help me. Die!" Pesinoé screamed.

Padmé suddenly fell to her knees in pain. Pesinoé smiled. She hadn't thought trying to seduce her body into attacking itself would work. A little longer and the woman would never recover.

"Stop that," someone shouted. "Leave her alone!"

His voice snapped Pesinoé out her trance. She stopped her attack and Padmé fell to the ground.

"Padmé," Anakin said running to check on his wife. He was so focused on making sure Padmé was alright, he forgot who was there with them. He checked her pulse and then used the force to make sure she was alright. She was fine. Her body was healing the damage.

"Padmé," he said holding her close.

"Anakin," he heard his name spoken softly, barely above a whisper and looked down think it was Padmé.

It wasn't. And that was when he remembered who was there with them, the person that was responsible for all this. He looked up at her with sad eyes.

"Ahsoka," he said in the same tone.

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AN: This chapter and the next tore my heart in two. I was near tears. Anywho, Ahsoka can't see herself at all, but that's because Palpatine has twisted her mind into really thinking that the jedi and Padmé are out to get and control Anakin even though part of her can see they're not. But you couple that with the fact that she wants Anakin and boom! She goes down the dark path. Until next time. Review Please!


	12. Chapter 12

Okay. Second to last chapter everyone. I had a good time writing this. But all good things must come to an end… Until the sequel anyone. I've decided Ahsoka is going to find her way, but there's always a long road home. Anyway. I hope you enjoy this. And I decided not to add the fight between Palpatine and Yoda. I'd essentially just be rewriting it verbatim, and I don't see the point. It's pretty much the same as it is in canon.

And a special thanks to Black Rose. She told me I spelled the siren's name wrong and I forgot to mention why I did in the last chapter. I spelled it wrong on purpose for one reason, and that was the pronunciation. If I had spelled it the way it should be Peis instead of Pes, it would have sounded like 'Pay' or 'Pee' and those long vowels just didn't sound right to me so I slightly tweaked the spelling of the name to fit the pronunciation I wanted it to have. So thanks to Black Rose for reminding me of that in her review. Anyway, I hope you like this and I'm glad you liked Ahsoka's sith name. Read, Enjoy, and Review.

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Chapter Twelve

"Ahsoka," he said and put Padmé on the ground away from Pesinoé as she approached him.

Just calling her name almost took Pesinoé back to the light. He looked so sad staring at her, what she had become. She shook her head clear of those thoughts. She was doing all of this for him. He didn't see that now, but he would. Soon he'd understand why she had done all this. She had made the galaxy a better place for them.

"So it's true," Anakin said looking at her in sorrow. "You're a sith now. I saw it on the holocam, but it just wasn't real. I wouldn't have believed it unless I had seen it in person with my own eyes."

He wanted to stand up, but he couldn't find the strength to move.

"Sith, jedi," Pesinoé replied. "What's in a title? I'm still the same girl you trained into a woman these last few years. It's still me."

Pesinoé bent down and tried to embrace him, but Anakin pushed her back. She glared at him.

"Don't touch me. You're not the same person. The Ahsoka I know wouldn't have done all this. She wouldn't have killed younglings," he said as tears fell down his face. "I don't understand any of it. I know we were having our difficulties, and we were both a little dissatisfied with the council, but we could have left it all behind. We could have mended our relationship. Why would you do this to Padmé? Do you hate me that much now? Why would you do this?"

It had been on him since he saw the recording. Why?

Pesinoé shook her head. How could he think she hated him? She had done nothing but what had to be done to save him, to make his life better, so they could be together.

"Anakin," Pesinoé pleaded. "Forget about her. She's a senator. Corrupt like all the rest. They were plotting against the republic, everything you fought for. If she really loved you, she wouldn't have done that. Don't you see? All I've done I've done for you."

"You've done this," he said disbelieving, "for me? You destroyed the republic, killed the jedi, tried to kill my wife, and worst of all buried Ahsoka, my padawan, alive? You're trying to destroy my life and it's all for me?"

"But I-."

"I don't want to hear it," Anakin spat.

Pesinoé kept trying. "You don't need them. They were holding you back. Embrace the dark side and we can rule the galaxy, together. We can rebuild the jedi if that's what you want, but not the narrow minded emotionless robots that the code wanted us to be."

Anakin shook his head. "This isn't the way to do it. Maybe we could have done that before, but you've just proven that maybe they were right. Maybe-."

An almost inhuman growl escaped her throat. "So you'll betray me again now. First with that senator and now this."

"What are you talking about?"

"I loved you Anakin," she shouted. "I'm trying to give you everything and you reject it because of that whore!"

Anakin got over his shock and stood up. "How dare you call her that? Don't bring Padmé into this. It has nothing to do with her."

"It had everything to do with her. But that's fine. If I can't have you then I'll kill you and nobody will have you!" Pesinoé brought up a light saber and struck.

Anakin couldn't bring himself to grab his lightsaber, but the blow never came nonetheless. He looked up.

"Obi-Wan," he said.

"Kenobi… The great negotiator," Pesinoé said through her teeth. "So the clones didn't get you. What a shame? Come here to negotiate with me? Convince me to change my new ways?"

"From what I can tell the only negotiating that needs to happen here are negotiations with a light saber," Obi-Wan replied.

Pesinoé dropped her cloak on the ground and started to walk away from Obi-Wan.

"You shouldn't have come here. This has nothing to do with you. Now I'm forced to kill you."

"What happened Ahsoka? Have you really allowed that monster to twist your mind so now you've become the very thing you swore you'd help to destroy?"

"Spare me the lecture Obi-Wan. I've brought peace to our empire," Pesinoé replied.

"Our new Empire?" Obi-Wan asked confused.

Pesinoé turned her eyes briefly to Anakin and then looked back at Obi-Wan pointedly. Obi-Wan looked at Anakin. Anakin just starred.

"I don't know what she means. I had nothing to do with any of this, but she says she did it for me," he replied.

"You still don't get it," Pesinoé snarled lifting her light saber again. "If you're not with me, you're my enemy, along with the rest of the jedi."

"So be it," Obi-Wan said. "I will do what I must."

Pesinoé laughed. "Yeah. You'll try," she said and launched herself at Obi-Wan.

Anakin could do nothing for a moment but sit and watch. Part of his mind was telling him to move and help his former jedi master, but a great majority of his mind still couldn't quite grasp the fact that Ahsoka was really gone, consumed by the dark side. It was just unbelievable. If someone had told him that she would turn to the dark side a few weeks ago he would have laughed. Ahsoka didn't have an evil bone in her body. He was more likely to turn to the dark side than she was…

And that was when he came to a horrible realization. If he hadn't seen what Palpatine was doing in his concern for Ahsoka, it could have been him fighting Obi-Wan at that moment. It might have been him who killed the jedi, slaughtered younglings in cold blood, the same way he had killed Count Dooku. Palpatine had been manipulating both he and Ahsoka all along, but Anakin had seen the truth before he could fall into the trap.

Ahsoka's words began to ring in his head.

"_Don't you see? All I've done I've done for you."_

She kept saying that to him. He still didn't quite understand it even though the force was screaming the meaning to him. He stood up. He knew what he had to do now.

Anakin ran with newfound determination to where Obi-Wan and Ahsoka had gone. When he got there, they were in a control room amongst the bodies of the dead separatist. He didn't dwell on them though. He pushed all of that out his mind as Ahsoka threw Obi-Wan aside with the force and tried to swing her lightsaber across his chest. Anakin was sure Obi-Wan would have gotten out of it, but it was the perfect opportunity to jump into this fight.

He blocked her sword and pushed her back.

"Anakin," Pesinoé said displeased with him. "I don't want to fight you. Don't make me have to kill you."

"You didn't seem to have a problem with it a few minutes ago," Anakin said getting in her way as she tried to get around him and back to Obi-Wan.

They stared at each other across their blades.

"You're putting me in a difficult position, don't make me have to force my hand," Pesinoé warned.

"That's too bad, because you've already forced mine," Anakin said and moved his sword to start the fight again.

Pesinoé used a force attack to push him back into the wall. She slashed at him and he blocked. She pushed his arm to the side and raised her boot to kick him in the chest. He slid down the wall and tried to swing at her legs. She jumped and brought her saber down over his head. He parried and pushed her back into the opposite wall with the force

He glared at her. Ahsoka had always been an aggressive swordswoman, but he attributed that to her natural togrutan aggression. They were known to become very aggressive against their enemies whenever they fought. She had never quite been able to get rid of her native characteristic traits in that area, and he had a feeling she never would have. But now, it wasn't just that. Her aggression was enhanced by her anger, her hatred, by the dark side.

"Obi-Wan," he shouted blocking the man from joining the fight again when he tried to stop Ahsoka from charging at Anakin. "Get Padmé out of here on her ship."

"Are you sure you can handle this?" he asked over the clashing of the sabers. He never got an answer as the two had gone on into the conference room.

The fight became much more heated as the Anakin and Pesinoé made their way a conference room. Anakin jumped onto the conference table and Pesinoé followed.

"Don't make me have to kill you Master," Pesinoé said as their blades crossed again.

"Master huh? I thought that was Sidious. A person can't have two masters," Anakin shot back.

"Give up already. Chosen one or not, you're no match for the dark side," Pesinoé said ignoring his comment.

"I never thought I'd hear that from you," Anakin said suddenly sliding across the table to knock the sith lady off.

Pesinoé used the force to push Anakin back into the control room. Anakin rolled aside, just missing the girl's boot as she tried to stomp on his face. Anakin jumped up and the two began to fight again in a dazzling demonstration of swordsmanship. Anakin ducked as Pesinoé slashed at him, instead slashing through the door to the balcony. When it opened, Anakin ducked through it to gain more room. That backfired on him though. The balcony was narrower than he expected.

Anakin switched to a defensive fighting style when Pesinoé came on him with a full offensive attack. When they got to the edge, she cut off the railing of the balcony. Anakin didn't know what Pesinoé had done, but the next thing he knew, alarms schreeched and the entire structure began to tumble into the lava below it.

Anakin spied the pipeline leading to the main plant. He jumped on it and twirled his light saber just daring Pesinoé to follow him. She did.

The fight intensified until the two were hanging on ropes clashing blade.

"I don't understand. Why?" Anakin screamed over the roar of the lava.

"Because I loved you," Pesinoé screamed back.

"And you think I didn't. I loved you too, like my own sister, a daughter even."

"That's the point!" Pesinoé said as they were forced to let go of the cables when they came upon a point where the lava river dropped off like a water fall. Both let go of the cables and flipped onto floating platforms in the lava.

"What do you mean that's the point?" Anakin asked as he continued his duel.

"You didn't love me the way I wanted you to," Pesinoé yelled.

"How else was I supposed to?"

"For me. As a woman, a lover. But instead you betrayed me and fell for the manipulations of that senator."

Anakin could have never imagined that he had been right when he thought about her being in love with him. He had never seriously considered the real possibility of it. He stared at her for a moment. He didn't know what to say after that.

"I'm sorry Ahsoka. If I had known…" Anakin trailed off. He didn't know. He had met Padmé long before he met Ahsoka and he had loved her since. He didn't understand what Ahsoka wanted him to do. Did she want him to forget about Padmé, stop loving her, and love her instead?

"And then when Palpatine tried to help you see that she was betraying you, you let her and the jedi trick you into thinking he was evil!"

"Ahsoka!" Anakin cried desperately trying to through to her. "Palpatine _is_ evil."

"From my point of view it's the jedi that are evil," Pesinoé screamed.

"Palpatine's only using you. He'll betray you!"

"Betrayal and treachery is the way of the sith. At least I won't be hurt or surprised by it like I was by the jedi," Pesinoé declared.

"What have the jedi ever done to you?"

"Just look at them. They want us to block out our emotions, deny us the opportunity to love, start families. They took us away from our families. They took you from your mother. Remember?"

It was then Anakin realized that this Ahsoka wasn't just fighting him out of anger and hate or hunger for power. And it wasn't just because she loved him and was envious of Padmé. She was fighting him out of anguish over the fact that she wanted something she might not ever be able to have, a family of her own, because the Jedi wouldn't allow it. He had been her only hope for it and when she found out he was married, that hope shattered. It all made sense.

"You don't know the story," Anakin said pushing the thought out his mind while looking for a way to move the duel off the lava. This was getting to risky. "Qui-Gon tried to bring my mother."

"Well apparently they didn't try hard enough, and she died because of it," Pesinoé snapped.

"We were slaves. He had no choice," Anakin said jumping onto a flat river bank. Pesinoé followed him and the battle intensified again but the farther back they went the more unstable the ground seemed to be. It was then he noticed that they were fighting towards a cliff edge that dropped back into the lava river that was now descending into a slope.

"There's always a choice and I've made mine," Pesinoé screamed and then suddenly lowered her blade for a moment putting all the power of the dark side behind her attempt at seduction saying, "Anakin, please. You don't have to do this."

"No, you don't have to do what you're doing," Anakin said but not as forcefully as he wanted.

"Yes I do. I'm doing all this for you. Don't you see? I can be everything to you that Padmé was if you just let. Just try. Forget about Padmé. We can be together, start our own family. We'll rule the galaxy and make it how it's supposed to be. No more war, politics… Just peace," Pesinoé said in a regular tone, but Anakin heard it as a very appealing whisper.

Anakin lowered his light saber and started to go to her.

"Yeah, that's it. Forget about her. Forget about that woman and her bastard child. I'm your angel now," she said.

Anakin snapped out of it at when she said the word angel. He didn't know if it was Pesinoé saying she could be the angel Padmé was to him or the warning the force had suddenly screamed to him that brought him to his senses, but it didn't matter. He glared at her.

"I'll never forget about Padmé. She'll always be my angel. You really have sunken low to do that. Seduction is the way of the dark side," Anakin said raising his blade.

Pesinoé frowned growled. "Ugh! Then prepare to die. This is the end for you my master," she said in a mocking tone and charged at him with her saber ready to strike.

Anakin looked at her and noticed that she was so focused on attacking him, Pesinoé didn't see the cliff behind them. She was totally unaware of her surroundings It would be risky and might very well fall in the lava himself, but Anakin would have to do it.

Pesinoé struck down hard, and if Anakin had tried to block it, he probably would have fallen. Instead he ducked under her arm and spun so that he somehow managed to get behind the sith lady. The force of her blow was so strong, that without an equal force to help her she couldn't stay her fall. The force might have worked, but Pesinoé was so surprised she wasn't quick enough to use it.

As she was falling, Anakin cut off her right arm at the elbow. She screamed as she fell over the cliff.

"Ahsoka," Anakin yelled and ran to the edge of the cliff. She hadn't fallen in, but was dangling on the side by a piece of the cliff sticking out just enough to let her hold it.

"Ahh!" she cried in pain and anger.

The ground beneath Anakin shifted. This would collapse soon and he had a feeling only Pesinoé's sheer will to live was keeping it from doing so. If she lost concentration and tried to jump back up with the force, she would likely make the unstable cliff side completely give way.

"Ahsoka," he said reaching down to her trying to use the force to pull her up, but she was blocking his efforts.

"Ahsoka," he cried desperately. "Let me help you!"

"Love me!" she cried putting the force behind the words in a seductive suggestion.

Anakin resisted it and stood up. There was nothing he could do. He picked up her fallen light saber.

"I'm sorry it had to happen like this. I gave you everything I could. I'm sorry I couldn't love you the way you wanted," Anakin said and walked away from her.

"Don't be!" Pesinoé screamed. "I _hate_ you!"

Anakin knew he should have turned around and ended it for good. But he couldn't. He couldn't kill her. He had failed.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As Palpatine watched Yoda fall, he prepared to follow him but stopped. Something in the force had changed drastically for his apprentice. He smiled. Her turn was complete. His smile turned into a frown as two of the royal guards came up behind him.

"Prepare my ship," he said staring into the distance. The guard immediately went to do it. "I fear Lady Pesinoé is in danger."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So how did you like it? Is it what you expected? Did it meet expectations? I hope so. And for the love of God I have no idea why my chapters end in cliffies. I don't purposely do them. I swear. They just happen to be the perfect endings. Anyway, the next chapter wraps everything up, and although our favorite handsome chosen one doesn't get put in his suit, go evil, and break up his entire family, it's still bittersweet. Review please. Oh yeah and remind me next summer never to take a summer college class again...


	13. Chapter 13

Okay people. Last chapter! So sad, but never fret. I'll be posting the sequel in… a week no two weeks, not three… How about we just say within the month? I don't want to give a specific date. Just be looking out for it and make sure you read past the chapter. I'm putting up a sneak peak.

Now about the last chapter, I'm glad everyone enjoyed it and I did battle with maybe letting Ahsoka fall in the lava, but the question was making that work for a woman… I could have made everyone think she was a man in the suit or something but that didn't appeal to me. Besides, the fact that she'll be second in command and female in a male dominated empire plays an important role in the next story.

Chapter Thirteen

Anakin had never been to Polis Massa before, but he did know it was a neutral planet and its medical advancements were second to none. In fact, when Obi-Wan sent him the coordinates for the planet, he knew something was wrong and it was confirmed when he felt Padmé's pain through the force.

He ran into the medical facility and ran into the lobby where Yoda, Obi-Wan, and Bail Organa were waiting for him.

"Where's Padmé?" he asked.

"She went into labor," Obi-Wan said to him. "We suspect that Pesinoé's attack on her induced the labor."

"It's too early," Anakin said in fear. "She's not due for five weeks."

Just then the droid medical droid came in and Anakin turned to it.

"What's going on? Can the labor be stopped?" he asked.

The droid shook its robotic head. "It would be pointless."

"It's too early," Anakin argued.

"The babies will be fine. It is not uncommon for a woman to go into labor as much as five weeks early when she is carrying twins," the droid said.

Anakin stared at the droid in disbelief. Suddenly all the problems in the galaxy went away for just that moment.

"It's twins," he finally said. "Two babies?"

"Yes," the droid said.

Padmé's scream attracted Anakin's attention.

"Ani!" she said. Anakin didn't wait for the droid to give him permission to come in the room. He was at his wife's side in an instant.

"I'm right here angel," he said running his really hand over her head.

"Ani," she said through her pain weakly. He could sense that she still hadn't quite recovered from Pesinoé's attack. If what the droid said was true, they would never know for sure if she had gone into labor because of Pesinoé's attack or naturally.

"It's alright love," he said to her sending calm waves through the force and lending her his strength. "You and the babies will be fine."

"Babies," she muttered.

"It's twins."

Padmé cried out again and grabbed his arm. The droid came to her. "It's time to push," it said.

"Ahh!" Padmé screamed in pain as she pushed.

Ten minutes later, a cry was heard and Anakin looked up.

"A boy," the droid said passing it to another droid which wrapped the wailing child in a blanket.

"Luke," Anakin muttered. He and Padmé had never settled on a name for their child, but it was one of the names they had tossed about. Somehow, he felt that she would approve.

The next child wasted no time and a short time later the next cry was heard.

"A girl."

"Leia," Padmé muttered struggling to get a view of the newborns.

Anakin stroked her hair. No words could come to him. A few hours ago, this had been the worst day of his life, but now, as he looked at his twins, it had been pushed back up to one of the best.

"They are both doing fine," the droid said bringing both babies to them. "A little hairy, but that is normal for premature babies."

Anakin took both from the droid and looked down at them. Luke had his small eyes closed, but Leia was struggling to keep her own open. It wasn't clear what color her eyes would be yet, but he could just picture them being a deep chocolate brown.

"Oh Ani," Padmé said struggling to lift a hand to stroke both babies. "They're beautiful."

Anakin, becoming aware of his wife's weakness sent waves of calmness to her.

"You should rest. You've just given birth, not to mention you still haven't recovered from…" Anakin trailed off. He would not tarnish this happy moment by bringing that up. He would enjoy this while it lasted.

"I don't think I'd even have the strength to hold them yet if I tried anyway. I'm so tired…" Padmé admitted before she dozed off.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Pesinoé stumbled up the unstable slope that was Mustafar. She was hot, exhausted, was missing her arm from the top of her elbow and could barely breathe, but most of all she was angry and that fueled her to live, to keep going so she could get back to her ship.

She had no clue how long she had dangled from that cliff side above the lava river. It was only because of her sheer will that it hadn't collapsed into the lava. It had taken her a while to manipulate part of the lava river to harden and cool suddenly beneath her so she could drop off the cliff, but she had managed it. She also managed to ignore all her physical ailments, including the phantom pain in her arm to start the way back to her ship. Her body wanted nothing more than to collapse and give way to this sith hell, but she pressed on.

Her only thought was revenge. Either she had been too weak to successfully manipulate her former master through seduction, or he was too strong and in love with that woman to fall for it. She liked to think it was the former. Either way it stood, Anakin had made his decision. He rejected her. So now she would reject him and start planning her revenge on him.

Pesinoé saw a ship in the distance and then saw her master heading to her. Her breathing became even more laborious, but Pesinoé didn't care anymore. She was saved. Finally, she could give in.

Darth Sidious saw his apprentice trying to make his way to him. Suddenly she collapsed and he touched the force to check on her. He sighed in relief. After all this trouble, the last thing he needed was a dead apprentice.

"She's still alive," he said to the clones flanking him. "Get a medical capsule immediately."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anakin stared at his lap as he sat next to Padmé. She had awaken a few hours ago and immediately tried to put the twins to her breast. Anakin briefly remember her telling him that on Naboo it was a very common practice still and he didn't find it hard to believe. The Naboo people valued family and believed that it was important to instill family bonds from birth.

Unfortunately, Padmé couldn't keep it up for long as she was still exhausted and for the short time that she did, he had to help her hold up the babies. She had fallen asleep again soon after. Her exhaustion was not only a result of labor, but Pesinoé's attack on her and it wasn't the only consequence. Pesinoé's attack had also left Padmé infertile. Luke and Leia were the only children Padmé would ever have. Anakin believed that maybe it was why the force had seen fit to give them twins even though they ran in neither of their families.

He had spoken to Obi-Wan briefly about it when he came to see him. But then his former master noticed how tired Anakin was. Obi-Wan offered look after the twins in the nursery with Master Yoda and Bail while he got some rest. But rest didn't come to Anakin, and so he sat, thinking about everything that had happened.

"Ani," Padmé said softly.

Anakin looked up at her and smiled at her. Even in her weakened state, she was so beautiful.

"Where are the twins?" she asked looking around the room for them.

"Obi-Wan is watching over them. He thought we should get some rest," Anakin laughed sourly. "Easier said than done."

"Ani?" she asked carefully. He was holding something in and if he didn't talk it out, he would be like a time bomb waiting to blow.

"All of this is my fault," he said standing up to pace the room.

"Ani, you can't blame yourself for this. In the end it was Ahsoka's choice. You-."

"But I should have done more," Anakin said slamming his hand on the side table next to Padmé's bed. "I was her master. I should have known something was wrong. I just got so excited about you and the baby, babies, I cast her aside. If I had been paying more attention to her instead of running away from her the first chance I got for more stolen moments with you, I could have… I could have…."

Anakin turned his back to Padmé ignoring her gesture to come to him as he began to cry.

"I just feel like there's something I could have done to stop this, to help her get more confidence in herself because that's what this all boils down to. She thought I didn't think she was good enough," he managed. "I didn't love her like she wanted me to, but I did in another way. There was nothing wrong with her. She was good enough. She was always good enough. I just didn't take enough time to make her know that."

"Ani," Padmé said, and he finally turned to her, distraught apparent on his features.

Padmé patted the space on her bed and he came to sit with her. She took him in his arms and they were silent for a while.

"Ani, this isn't your fault. Ahsoka didn't have to turn to the dark side. She made the choice, but if there's anyone to blame, it's Palpatine. He used everything she ever wanted against her, to seduce her to the dark side. He offered her everything she wanted on a silver platter. There was nothing you could have done to change that. Palpatine would have found another way," Padmé assured.

"That's the point," Anakin replied and Padmé pulled away from him slightly to look at him.

"What do you mean?"

"It's just… As I was fighting Ahsoka… Pesinoé I… It was scary. Not that I was afraid of what she might do to me, but what she had become. I should have killed her. I had the chance, but I couldn't," Anakin replied.

"Why is that?" Padmé asked. She figured he wouldn't be able to do that. It was why she had tried so hard to get through to Ahsoka. She was hoping that maybe they could relate to each other in their love for Anakin.

"Because I could relate to her. Force Padmé! I saw so much of myself in her it terrified me. Her intentions were noble. Palpatine had twisted facts and truths in her brain to make you and the jedi seem like the enemy. She thought by turning to the dark side she was saving me. All because she loved me," Anakin finished in a whisper.

"I know," Padmé replied.

Anakin couldn't even find it in himself to be upset. "How long?"

"For about a week," she said. "Oh Ani. I know I should have said something. But I thought about when I was concerned about your friendship with Palpatine, and then I ended up being right. But I didn't want to throw this on you about Ahsoka. I didn't want you to think that you couldn't have other friends just because I was concerned about it or make you think that I wanted you all to myself. So I didn't say anything, even when she told me she hated me. I didn't want my feelings on the matter to be right again and I too could relate to Ahsoka because I love you," Padmé said beginning to cry. "I know I'd be dying inside if I thought you could never love me because you loved someone else, so I couldn't condemn her for it."

"I felt the same way. I mean in relating to Ahsoka. I'd sell my soul to save you if I had to. I think that's what Palpatine was going to do," Anakin replied.

"You mean he wanted to turn you to the dark side," Padmé asked.

"On the invisible, he told me to kill Count Dooku in cold blood and I did. I think he wanted me to replace him and he was going to use you somehow, but I bet he sensed Ahsoka's feelings and used her instead. I'd always love you, dead or alive, and it would comfort me to know you loved me too, maybe even shame me. But Ahsoka feeling rejected just fueled her more and now…" Anakin sighed. "I know there's good in her Padmé. I felt it. She really didn't want to fight me or even try to kill me, but her anger got in the way."

"If you can believe that, I can believe the same," Padmé said.

"Do you though?"

"Love can't exist in a heartless person Anakin," Padmé replied simply.

"You know, I always hated the part of the code that forbid attachment, love, but now I understand why they did it. Even a good emotion can turn into a bad one and drive you to the dark side. Before emotion was banned, people turned to the dark side because they couldn't fully understand their emotions and control them and use them to fuel their power positively. But the new order was so afraid of it that they took it to the opposite extreme and forbid it, but taught what it could do to a person. But how can you fully teach something and warn against it when you've never experienced? How can you relate to those that are struggling with it?" Anakin asked and Padmé just listened.

"They were right to warn about the possible dark side of emotions, but they were wrong to forbid it. Everything has its risk, but that makes it all the more worth having. Perhaps it's time for the jedi to change its way and take a more balanced view to emotions and attachments. Maybe that's the kind of balance I'm supposed to bring to the force," Anakin suggested.

"Well, we've got a while to figure it out," Padmé replied. "And we will. And we'll bring Ahsoka back somehow."

A few days later Anakin and Padmé sat at a round table with Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Bail.

"Into hiding, we must go. Too dangerous at this time, to challenge the sith it is," Yoda began.

"That is especially true with you and your family Anakin. Have you all decided what you're going to do?" Obi-Wan asked.

Padmé nodded unable to speak with tears in her eyes. Anakin grabbed her hand with his prosthetic one and began.

"Darth Pesinoé knows I'm alive, and she'll search the galaxy to find me. Fortunately our connection has become severed. That will make it harder for her to find me," Anakin explained.

"However," he continued, "together, the twins' force presence is a beacon of light that I feel will only get stronger. Combined with mine, we may very well lead the sith right to us."

Padmé found it in her to speak through her anguish. "And so we decided that the twins should be split up, and they should be raised to believe we're dead, killed in the aftermath of the clone wars. Their lives are more important than us being together as a family."

"Bail," Anakin said to the Alderaanian Senator. "Padmé told me you and your wife were thinking of adopting a baby girl. We'd appreciate it you both would be willing to take care of Leia."

Bail nodded to them, touched that they trust him with their little girl.

"She will be loved with us."

"And what of the boy?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I will take him to Tatooine to live with my step brother and his wife. I believed they were engaged when I last left them," Anakin replied and then added, "Obi-Wan, will you watch him for me?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "Of course Anakin."

"And of you and the senator?" Yoda asked.

"We were hoping that Padmé could live with you on the palace," Anakin said to Bail. "To watch over Leia, as a handmaiden or caretaker."

"Of course," Bail said. "And yourself."

Anakin groaned despite the situation. "I'm going to open a shop in Mos Espa. I've always been good at fixing things and it will let me watch over Luke from a distance." No matter what Anakin did, he always found himself having to go back to that dust ball for a planet for one reason or another.

Yoda nodded his head in approval. "Until the time is right."

Bail nodded and stood up. "Would you have me get the droids cleaned up and have the protocol droid's mind wiped?"

Anakin nodded and Bail left. Padmé squeezed his hand and left, probably to see the twins with what little time she had left with them. Anakin got up to follow her, but Yoda stopped him.

"In both your solitude on Tatooine, training, I have for you."

"Training?" Anakin asked.

"An old friend has learned the path to immortality."

"Who?" Obi-wan asked

"One who has returned from the netherworld to train me… Your old master."

"Qui-Gon?" both men asked and Yoda nodded.

A few days later, everything was set. Obi-Wan had their ship destroyed from an engine accident in space on route to Naboo. They told Padmé's family that the remains were scarred and unrecognizable and hid the truth for their own safety. If Pesinoé was looking for Anakin and Padmé, Naboo was the first place she would look.

A closed casket funeral was held on Naboo in remembrance of Padmé, her jedi husband, Anakin Skywalker, and their unborn child. The Queen had a beautiful memorial built in honor of their memory.

Padmé remained stoic she passed Luke on to her husband. She had no more tears. She had cried already. But her husband sensed her turmoil and tried to comfort her.

"It's not forever Padmé," he said holding her to him. "We'll be a family again someday."

Padmé nodded her head and held Leia up to him. He smiled at her and kissed her cheek.

"Don't ever forget me little princess," he said. "Daddy loves you. Remember that."

Anakin looked at Padmé. "I love you angel. I'll see you soon," he said.

They had made arrangements for Padmé to come see him on Tatooine when she could, but it couldn't be often and they couldn't make a pattern of it. The sith would become suspicious of a ship that frequently made trips to Tatooine.

"I love you too," she said and pecked him on the lips.

Xxxxxxxxxx

When they got to Alderaan, Padmé saw Breha looking over the balcony at the mountains. Padmé could imagine she was nervous and thought perhaps Padmé would change her mind.

Padmé looked at Bail who was standing next to her. He urged her along.

"Remember Leia. You may have to play the part of Princess Leia Organa, but you'll always truly be Leia Skywalker," she muttered to the baby as she kissed the baby and walked to where Breha was standing.

The queen turned around and unmistakable joy spread over her features while sadness came over Padmé's. Breha reached out as though asking permission to take the child. Padmé held Leia out to her. Breha took the baby and cradled her in her arms.

"Thank you Padmé," Breha said with happy tears shining in her eyes.

"No," Padmé said and pulled up the hood of her handmaiden dress. "Thank you."

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Anakin patiently finished telling Owen and Beru the situation. Tatooine was a remote place so it was safe to tell them. Owen was showing disapproval for the whole situation, but Anakin could sense his sympathy as well. Luke would be well taken care of with them, as well as they could mange.

"Obi-Wan will come by sometimes to watch over him," Anakin replied and then took off his light saber and handed it to them. "When he's old enough, give him this. Tell him his mother and I love him very much."

Owen took it from him and nodded.

Anakin looked at Luke one last time and then rode on the back of the large beast away from the hovel. One day he would come back and train Luke to be a jedi and he would also train Leia. He had given Padmé Ahsoka's light saber to give to their little girl one day. Ahsoka probably would have ended up being her jedi master one day anyway, or Anakin had planned to ask her to in any case, so it seemed fitting.

As he rode off, he didn't look back. It was the second time he was leaving someone he loved behind on Tatooine.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The woman was acutely aware of the obvious stares she was getting from the officers on the star destroyer as she made her way to join her master at the window. She had become very proficient in the ways of seduction in the dark side these past few weeks and she was positive her revealing black choker top, black low rise trousers and sleek thinly heeled, pointed-toe boots did nothing to help matters. Her crystal studded prosthetic arm didn't help either. It was made of the finest and strongest metal, yet it was sleek, feminine and durable. Fortunately, her arm was the only long lasting effect her battle on Mustafar had left. It took a while for her lungs to fully heal, but that was all.

Pesinoé removed her hood as she looked on at the construction of the death star. It wasn't her style as it was anything but subtle and alluring, but the emperor wanted it, so she'd live.

"Have you heard?" Sidious asked.

Pesinoé frowned. "If you're talking about the fact that Skywalker and his wife died in a ship accident, yes. It's been all over the holonews. A person would have to be stuck in a hole not to know."

"And," Sidious urged.

The sith lady laughed. "I think it's a bunch of bantha pooda. Skywalker is too resourceful in the ways of the force to die in such an undignified freak accident. But it is highly likely his wife did die. She was just starting labor when I attacked her and I doubt her body could have taken that kind of toil and survive labor. However, I'm positive Skywalker and his son still live. They are hiding," Pesinoé said confidently.

"His son?"

"When I was with his wife, she told me she thought it was a son and I peeked into the force to see for myself. She was correct," Pesinoé said.

"Then you know what you must do if you are to ever find them," Sidious replied.

Pesinoé nodded. If she ever found them, she would kill them. Skywalker would not make a fool of her again and she'd have her revenge on him for rejecting her… in due time.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

AN: Just a little tidbit before I go on with my ending comments I wrote this phrase for the sake of style "_even though they ran in neither of their families"_, but in reality fraternal twins (they come from two separate eggs) like Luke and Leia can only run in the mother's family. It's passed down from mother to daughter. So even if twins were in Anakin's family, it could have never come from his side. Identical twins (they come from one egg that splits after conception) is just more of a random occurrence and I don't know if they can run in families. Just an FYI.

Okay, so like I said, the ending was bittersweet. Padmé didn't die but she can't have any more children and even though Anakin didn't turn, his family was still broken. As you know there will be a sequel. But I had to ask the question, how could I write this without it just being the original trilogy with characters playing different roles and little tweaks here and there? I eventually figured it out and I hope you like it. Here's the sneak peak:

_"I don't think we're going to be getting out back that way," Han said._

_Leia looked at him and then tried to look over his shoulder. "Why?"_

_"Because-."_

_Han was cut off as they heard a snap-hiss. He, Luke, and Leia turned just quick enough to see the man they knew as Alex charge head on into the officers and clones that crowed around the doorway and into the room. The next thing they knew he was a blue blur as he deflected blaster bolts and cut people down left and right until the room was clear._

_"Okay," he said brushing off his clothes and turning off his light saber. "Exit's clear now. Did you find Leia?"_

_The three younger adults gaped at him. Chewie growled something and pushed them along. Han got over his awe first._

_"Remind me not to get on his bad side," Han muttered coming up behind him._

_"Too late for that Solo," Anakin said walking out the detention bay. Han gulped. "Now let's get out of here."_

_Leia did a double take at him and said, "Alex? What are you doing here? Where's Pemé?"_

_Luke blinked running to keep you with the older man's long strides. "You know her?" he asked and when it was clear he wasn't going to say anything turned to Leia._

_"How do you know Alex?" they both said to each other._

_Han scowled. "We can discuss this later. Let's get back to the ship. I hope that old man disabled that tractor beam."_

_"I have full faith in Obi-Wan," Anakin replied. "He got it."_

_As they started down the hallway, Leia stopped and pulled on Luke's arm to go the other way._

_"Wait!"_

_"Oh my God!" Han said and turned to her. "This better be good princess."_

_"We have to get to Pesinoé's quarters," she exclaimed_

_This threw all three men, along with their wookie friend, for a loop._

_"What!" Luke and Anakin exclaimed together. Chewie growled._

_Han looked at her thoroughly flabbergasted and said, "I think you were in that cell a little too long princess. You've lost it."_

_"Please," Leia said. "She took something of mine. It's the only thing I have left of my father. I have to go get it."_

_"How do you know she put it in her room? She might have tossed it," Han suggested._

_Leia somehow knew Pesinoé hadn't 'tossed it' as Han put it. The woman seemed shocked to see the light saber when she grabbed it off Leia's person. She just couldn't shake the feeling that it was in the sith lady's room. She didn't know how to explain it._

_"Please! I can't explain it, but I know it's there," Leia pleaded._

_Luke and Anakin looked at Han, then each other. They nodded and followed Leia in the opposite direction of the hanger. Han gaped and then groaned_

_"We were actually about to get out of here, alive! Not in a body bag! You can't be serious!" Han yelled after them. Chewie growled something at him and then followed the three._

_"Pesinoé's room. I swear, as if this wasn't already a suicide mission…" Han trailed off running after them. "Hell, this is beyond suicide."_

Well, that's it. Be on the look out for the sequel, _Ascension in Darkness_. Hope you enjoyed. Review please.


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